Methods and systems for sending contextual content to connected vehicles and configurable interaction modes for vehicle interfaces

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems are provided. One method includes receiving, at a server, a geo-location of a vehicle. The method further includes receiving from time to time, at the server, vehicle condition. The method includes identifying a user account for the vehicle. The user account includes preferences associated with a profile of a user. The method also includes sending data to the vehicle. The data is for presentation on a display screen or output via an audio system of the vehicle. The data is selected based on a context of the geo-location and the vehicle condition or the preferences associated with the profile of the user. Interaction modes can be used to define what information is displayed and when information is provided to the display screen.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application is a continuation application of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/784,823, entitled “Methods and Systems forDefining Custom Vehicle User Interface Configurations and Cloud Servicesfor Managing Applications for the User Interface and Learning SettingFunctions,” filed on Mar. 5, 2013, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/745,729, filed on Dec. 24, 2012,and entitled “Methods and Systems For Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging,Charging Systems, Internet Applications and User Notifications”, andwhich are herein incorporated by reference. This Application is also acontinuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/452,882, filed Apr.22, 2012, and entitled “Electric Vehicle (EV) Range Extending ChargeSystems, Distributed Networks Of Charge Kiosks, And Charge LocatingMobile Apps”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/478,436, filed on Apr. 22, 2011, all of which are incorporated hereinby reference. This Application is also a continuation in part of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/842,158, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, and entitled“Methods and Systems for Defining Vehicle User Profiles and ManagingUser Profiles via Cloud Systems and Applying Learned Settings to UserProfiles,” which is herein incorporated by reference

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to systems and methods for customizingvehicle user interfaces of connected vehicles, setting configurationsand exchanges of information with cloud-based processing systems.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles, such as motorized vehicles and electric vehicles have beenaround for some time. Vehicles provide a way that enable humans to drivefrom place to place. In today's world, vehicles have become anindispensable mode of transportation, and provide the freedom to travelat any time of day and for various distances. Vehicles can be publicallyoperated or can be privately owned. Humans most commonly operatevehicles, no matter the type, whether electric or combustion enginebased. In recent years, technology has been advancing to allow forbetter wireless interfacing and networking with vehicles.

It is in this context that embodiments of the invention arise.

SUMMARY

The methods, systems and apparatus include electronics and software ofvehicles that drive display devices in vehicles and communicatewirelessly with Internet services. Some embodiments define method andsystems for enabling customization of displays of a vehicle. Thedisplays can be customized based on a user profile, and can includesettings based on learned preferences. In one embodiment, a learnedpreference is one that identifies a like, or acceptance, or comfortlevel, or tendency, or pattern, or behavior for or toward a type ofpreference or setting or action, or content. The displays and outputs ofthe vehicle are also configured to output or display supplementalcontent obtained for the user profile, based on contextually relevantinformation data and/or state.

The contextual relevance can be based on information associated with thegeo-location of the vehicle, the state/condition of the vehicle, learnedpreferences, information in user online accounts, information fromsocial networks, information from patterns of use by the user,information based on the time of day, week, month or based on whencertain inputs or data that is requested or looked up by the user, orcombinations of one or more of the foregoing. The intersection oranalysis of these information points allows for the system to providecontextually relevant information to the vehicle, when the user needsthe information and/or when it is anticipated that the information willbe consumed, used, accessed, viewed, or desired. In one embodiment, thisprocessing acts to filter out information that is not useful or relevantfor the particular time, circumstances, state of the vehicle, geographiclocation, time of day, etc., and as a result, reduced or un-needed orun-desired information is provided or sent to the vehicle forpresentation, which beneficially acts to reduce driver distraction.

Further, the vehicle can be customized or the user account/profile canbe customized for vehicles to allow interaction modes to be used.Interaction modes define the way of accessing input, displaying a lookand feel, providing content, setting simplicity or complexity of userinterface inputs, controls and settings, and defining skins and modes ofinteraction. In one embodiment, this customization is transferred, sent,enabled, or added to the user interfaces, settings, controls, andinstrument panels, dashboards and input controls of the vehicle. Byenabling custom levels of customization, vehicles can be configured orcustomized over time to the way each user is most comfortable, thusreducing distracted driving.

In one example, an interaction mode defines one or more settings of avehicle that can be customized for user interaction. For a particularinteraction mode, settings within settings may also be configured. Instill other implementations, interaction modes can be defined, selectedand customized via any connected device over the Internet or through thevehicle computer and interfaces inputs. In some embodiments, theinteraction modes can be applied to the vehicle dynamically, so such aswhen the interaction mode is specific to a particular driver profile. Insuch embodiments, the interaction mode can be set once the user logs into the vehicle, is identified using biometrics, synced via wireless keysor detection, pairing, or the like. As the user makes use of the inputsand settings provided the interaction mode, refinements can occur basedon learned preferences.

In one embodiment, an interaction mode can define a single setting, or aplurality of settings. If a plurality of settings is defined for oneinteraction mode, individual settings of that interaction mode may bemodified by the user or automatically in view of learned patterns,learned behavior, or the like. In some embodiments, the learned patternscan be identified from a collection of similar users. For example, ifother users are registered with a cloud service for connected vehicles,typical settings, changes, control modifications, preferences,demographic preferences, regional/cultural preferences, languagepreferences, etc. can be mined to identify patterns. In one embodiment,these patterns can be mined without requiring the actual identify of auser, so that privacy protection can be maintained for all useraccounts.

In some implementations, the learning and predicting embodiments mayutilize learning and prediction algorithms that are used in machinelearning. In one embodiment, certain algorithms may look to patterns ofinput, inputs to certain user interfaces, inputs that can be identifiedto biometric patterns, inputs for neural network processing, inputs formachine learning (e.g., identifying relationships between inputs, andfiltering based on geo-location and/or vehicle state, in real-time),logic for identifying or recommending a result or a next input, a nextscreen, a suggested input, suggested data that would be relevant for aparticular time, geo-location, state of a vehicle, and/or combinationsthereof. In one embodiment, use of machine learning enables the vehicleto learn what is needed by the user, at a particular time, in view ofone or more operating/status state of the vehicle, in view of one ormore state of one or more sensors of the vehicle. Thus, one or moreinputs or data presented to the user may be provided without explicitinput, request or programming by a user at that time.

Overtime, machine learning can be used to reinforce learned behavior,which can provide weighting to certain inputs.

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, at a server, ageo-location of a vehicle. The method further includes receiving fromtime to time, at the server, vehicle condition. The method includesidentifying a user account for the vehicle. The user account includespreferences associated with a profile of a user, and the preferencesinclude at least one learned preference. The method also includessending data to the vehicle. The data is for presentation on a displayscreen or output via an audio system of the vehicle. The data isselected based on a context of the geo-location and the vehiclecondition or the preferences associated with the profile of the user.Interaction modes can be used to define what information is displayedand when information is provided to the display screen.

In one implementation, the context is used to identify when informationassociated with the geo-location, or information associated with thevehicle condition, or information associated with the profile of theuser for processing when and when not to enable the data to be sent tothe vehicle.

In one implementation, data for information associated with thegeo-location is sent to the vehicle when the profile of the useridentifies a likelihood for consumption of the information associatedwith the geo-location.

In one implementation, the likelihood for consumption of the informationis based on explicit preferences in the profile or the at least onelearned preference, or based on user data obtained from one or moreinternet services.

In one implementation, the geo-location of the vehicle is one or moregeo-locations that can be different based on geographic changes ormovements in position of the vehicle at particular times or over time.

In one implementation, the data sent to the vehicle and presented on thedisplay screen is configured in accordance with an interaction modesetting, the interaction mode setting defines a style of user interfacesof the display screen of the vehicle, the style of user interfaces ofthe display screen identify one or more of text format, gauges, clutterlevel, skins, wallpaper, styles, design, or voice input/output displayfeatures.

In one implementation, the preferences associated with the profile ofthe user include a setting for a level of information items to bedisplayed on the display screen of the vehicle, wherein recommendationdata is sent to the vehicle for surfacing on the display screen based ona contextual analysis of the geo-location at a particular time, at leastone aspect of the vehicle condition or at least one of the preferencesassociated with the profile of the user, such that at least one aspectof one of the preferences is defined or associated with data obtainedfrom an internet service.

In one implementation, the preferences associated with the profile ofthe user include a setting for a level of information items to bedisplayed on the display screen of the vehicle, wherein recommendationdata is sent to the vehicle for surfacing on the display screen based ona contextual analysis of the geo-location at a particular time and atleast one of the preferences associated with the profile of the user,and wherein the at least one aspect of one of the preferences is dataobtained from an internet service.

In one implementation, the recommendation data is not sent when a ruleof an interaction mode identifies that the sending should not occur atleast at a particular time, or based on a condition, or based on aconflict with a learned pattern, or based on notifications limitationsfor the interaction mode, or based on a clutter level setting, or basedon a combination of rules.

In one implementation, recommendation data is sent to the vehicle forsurfacing on the display screen based on a contextual analysis of thegeo-location at a particular time and at least one of the preferencesassociated with the profile of the user, which include the at least onelearned preference, wherein the at least one aspect of one of thepreferences is data obtained from an internet service, wherein dataobtained from the internet service is sent to the vehicle along or inaddition to the recommendation data, the data obtained from the internetservice includes data or instructions for causing at least the displayscreen of the vehicle to be populated with content from the internetservice automatically or automatically launch an application by thevehicle for rendering specific supplemental content on the displayscreen.

In one implementation, the at least one aspect of one of the preferencesis data obtained from an internet service, wherein the internet serviceis one of a website, or a calendar, or social network website, or a newssite, or a dictionary site, or mapping service, or a to-do list, or aphone list, or a merchant website, or a shopping website, or a couponsite, or a discount site, or gasoline price site, or an electric vehicle(EV) charge locator service, or an EV charge reservation service, or ane-payments site, or an energy pricing site, or a route mapping service,or a traffic service or site, or a movie site, or a music site, ortravel site, or a vehicle site, or vehicle manufacturer site, or arental car site, or an airline reservation site, or a restaurant findingsite, or a review site, or a weather site, or a loyalty rewards site, ora database, or a historical driving database, or a vehicle-to-vehicledatabase, or a holiday calendar, or the internet.

In one implementation, the preferences associated with the profile ofthe user include a setting for an interaction mode that defines howinformation items are to be displayed and when information items are tobe presented on the display screen of the vehicle, wherein theinteraction mode is customizable or customized for the user account.

In one implementation, the interaction mode provides a range of modesthat extend from simple modes that include less information itemsdisplayed on the display screen and reduce distractive notifications tointense modes that increase a number (e.g., or level, i.e., some numberor grouping or selection of items) of information items displayed on thescreen and increase notifications, or custom hybrids modes thatselection of a level of information items and a level of notificationsto be sent to the display screen, or a learning mode that enablesdynamic changes to the information items and notifications based on useover time and predictive use, or combinations of simple, intense, hybridand learning modes.

In one implementation, an interaction mode is further configured todynamically change a display associated with physical inputs of thevehicle, wherein the physical inputs can change in function, orcomplexity, or display, or tone, or color, or font, or text, or icons,or combinations thereof to be consistent with the interaction mode.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receivinggeographic locations of a vehicle over time, at a server configured toexecute cloud services for a user account. The user account identifyingthe vehicle, and the user account further includes a profile for a userof the vehicle. The method also includes accessing the profile toidentify a history of use of the vehicle for the user. The method alsoincludes generating, from time to time, a plurality of learnedpreferences that are associated to the profile of the user by examiningthe history of use of the vehicle for the user. The history of use ofthe vehicle includes geographic locations of the vehicle, inputs made toa user interface of the vehicle at particular times or when the vehicleis at particular geographic locations. The method also includes, for acurrent geographic location and for a current time, identifyingsupplemental content for display on the user interface. The supplementalcontent is contextually related and filtered based on the currentgeographic location of the vehicle, the current time, and the learnedpreferences. Then, sending the supplemental content to the vehicle overa wireless network. The supplemental content is configured for displayon the user interface of the vehicle, the method is executed by aprocessor.

In one implementation, the user interface of the vehicle is integratedin one or more display screens of the vehicle, the one or more displayscreens being configured to display a level of information items basedon an interaction mode.

In one implementation, settings of the interaction mode define a styleof user interfaces of the display screens of the vehicle, the style ofuser interfaces of the display screen identify one or more of textformat, text size, icon types, simplicity of interface features, typesof gauges, clutter levels, skins, wallpaper, styles, designs, colors,and/or voice input/output display features.

In one implementation, some of the supplemental content includesidentification of goods or services proximate to at least one of thegeographic locations of the vehicle, the goods or services identifiedbeing filtered to include goods or services predicted to be of interestfor display based on examination of the profile of the user account, andthe profile of the user account further includes data regarding userpreferences and context information regarding likelihood of interest forgoods or services at other times similar to a current time.

In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving arequest to access a user account of a user for a vehicle. The useraccount providing access to cloud services. The cloud services areaccessible via one or both of a computing device or a vehicle computer.The method includes providing data for display of a plurality ofpreferences associated with interacting with and receiving informationfrom user interface systems of the vehicle. The method further includesreceiving selections of at least two of the plurality of preferences.And, determining an interaction mode for the vehicle based on thereceived selections. The interaction mode defines a level of informationitems to be displayed on a screen of the vehicle and defining anintensity of interactive notifications to be received at the vehicle fordisplay on the screen of the vehicle. The method also includes sendingconfiguration settings to the vehicle. The configuration settings areused to implement the interaction mode on the vehicle when the useraccount of the user is active on the vehicle.

In one implementation, the method further includes detecting interactionover time with interaction items defined by the level of interactionitems. The interactions are analyzed to learn patterns or predict futureinteractions, and adjusting settings of the interaction mode based onthe learned patterns or predicted future interactions, such that theinteraction mode becomes custom for the user account. The methodincludes, based on the interaction mode, identifying data to send to thevehicle for display or instructions for launching applications ordisplaying information on the display screen of the vehicle.

One method includes receiving a request to access a server that provideslogic for defining a custom user interface for a vehicle associated witha user account. The method also includes receiving selection options forassociating applications to the custom user interface. The applicationsincluding interfaces associated with functionalities of the vehicle andinterfaces for connecting with internet accessible services. The methodincludes receiving arrangement selections for placing at least one ofthe interfaces at a user defined location of a display screen of thevehicle. The selection options of the associated applications and thearrangement selections defining the custom user interface for the useraccount. The method further includes communicating the custom userinterface to memory and electronics of the vehicle over a wirelessinternet connection. The custom user interface is to be rendered on thedisplay screen of the vehicle.

Other examples include methods for providing access to cloud servicesover the Internet for customizing a user interface of a vehicle. Themethod includes providing selection options to identify a vehicle typeamong a plurality of vehicle types, where each vehicle type isassociated with a system component native to the vehicle type. Thesystem component provides native interfaces for the vehicle type. Themethod includes identifying a plurality of applications available forthe vehicle type. Each of the applications provided with predefined codefor communicating with at least one control interface of the systemcomponent. The method includes identifying an application from theplurality of applications. The application providing an app interface tobe added to the user interface of the vehicle. The method generates acustom configuration of the user interface for the vehicle type thatincludes native interfaces for components native to the vehicle type andthe app interface for the application. The custom configuration isdefined to render or set at least one screen or part of one screen ofthe user interface for display on a vehicle display. The customconfiguration is wirelessly transferred to memory and electronics of thevehicle from the database, from cloud processing (e.g., servers/storagehaving access via the Internet). The custom configuration is saved to auser account in the database interfaced over the Internet with the cloudservices, the method being executed by a processor. The customconfiguration can be updated from time to time and can be transferred toother vehicles.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a request to modifythe custom configuration; enabling changes to the identifiedapplication, the changes including adding additional applications orremoving the application; updating the custom configuration with thechanges; saving the custom configuration to the user account.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling identification of asecond vehicle for the user account, the second vehicle having a secondvehicle type.

In some embodiments, the method includes processing a request totransfer the custom configuration to the second vehicle, the processingof the request includes, automatically updating the system component forthe second vehicle type, the system component of the second vehicleincluding more or less native interfaces based on the second vehicletype as defined by a manufacturer of the second vehicle; and determiningif the application is compatible for the second vehicle type, andproviding options to select an update for the application in response toprocessing the request to transfer the custom configuration when theapplication is not compatible for the second vehicle type.

In some embodiments, the manufacturer of the vehicle and the secondvehicle is either the same or different.

In some embodiments, the method includes processing a request to use thecustom configuration on the second vehicle, the processing of therequest includes, receiving login credentials for the user account toenable use of the custom configuration at the second vehicleautomatically updating the system component for the second vehicle type,the system component of the second vehicle including more or less nativeinterfaces based on the second vehicle type as defined by a manufacturerof the second vehicle; and determining if the application is compatiblefor the second vehicle type, and if the application is not compatiblefor the second vehicle type, either omitting the application from thecustom configuration or providing a replacement application for theapplication with or without user input.

In some embodiments, the method includes maintaining a database of useraccounts, each user account having one or more custom configurations ofuser interfaces; processing a request to use a second customconfiguration on the vehicle, the request being received from thevehicle upon entering credentials to access a second user account;transferring the second custom configuration to the vehicle for usewhile the credentials of the second user account are active on thevehicle, wherein a verified request to use the second customconfiguration terminates use of the custom configuration in favor of thesecond custom configuration.

In some embodiments, the method includes terminating a session of use ofthe custom configuration on the vehicle, termination of the session actsto, reset the display of the vehicle to provide the user interface withsystem interfaces that are default-set by the manufacturer of thevehicle; or set a second custom configuration for a second user account.

In some embodiments, the vehicle display of the vehicle includes any oneor more of a main dashboard display, or a center console display, or acombined main dashboard and center console display, or a glass surface,or a windshield display, or a window display, or a touch surfacedisplay, or a headrest display, or a movable display, or a wirelessdisplay, or a wire-connected display, or combinations of one or morethereof.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a request to makechanges to add or remove applications from the custom configuration.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling a user interface toolto arrange some of the system components and app components of theapplication on a display, the arranging includes defining positionallocations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of the customconfiguration, the user interface tool being provided via a website ofthe cloud processing that manages the user account.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling linking of one or moreapplications executed on a mobile device to be presented on the vehicledisplay of the vehicle in accordance with the custom configuration, thelinking enabled upon pairing the mobile device with electronics of thevehicle. In one example, the applications from the mobile device can bepresented in a split screen region of the vehicle display. The splitscreen can allow presentation of apps and content from the mobile deviceor cloud services of the mobile device, along with services and apps ofthe vehicle. In this implementation, the split screen provides for aseamless presentation of data from devices of the user and data managedby cloud services or programs of the vehicle.

In another embodiment, split screen presentation allows mirroring ofcontent generated by the mobile device on screens of the vehicle. In oneconfiguration, restrictions on use can be applied by algorithms managedby the vehicle code or cloud code to enable safe driving. For instance,if the data of the mobile device requires interactivity that may causedistractions, such as texting, entering data by hand, gesturing, etc.,such features may be disabled or a function can be provided to translatethe entry to voice/audio output and voice input by the driver oroccupants. In one embodiment, if a passenger is able to handle theinput, the features may be enabled, provided the input is coming from apassenger seat. Logic in the vehicle can detect if a person is sittingin the vehicle, and voice authentication or video confirmation can beperformed to determine if the person entering the data is a passenger.Thus, verification of the person entering data to user interfacecomponents can be made on the fly.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving user input via thecustom configuration; learning patterns of user input over time;automatically programming one or more components of the customconfiguration based on the learned patterns of user input, automaticprogramming changing over time based on the received user input via thecustom configuration and saved periodically to the user account in thedatabase via a wireless connection to the Internet.

In some embodiments, the method includes automatically adjustingpositional locations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of thecustom configuration based on the learned patterns; and saving theadjustments to the user account, the user account being saved in adatabase that is interfaced over the Internet with cloud services thatexecute code using one or more processors.

In some embodiments, the programming of one or more components of thecustom configuration includes automatically setting input based on timesof day, or days of week, or dates of month, or times of year, orcombinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the method includes associating biometrics to theuser account, the biometrics being used to monitor use of the vehicleand determine if the custom configuration is enabled, or if a guestcustom configuration should be enabled, or if public customconfiguration should be enabled, the user account includes profile datadefining when particular configurations should be enabled based on thebiometrics.

In some embodiments, the custom configuration is saved to the useraccount in cloud storage having the database, and cloud processingprovides communication with the vehicle over the Internet via wirelessInternet communication.

In some embodiments, cloud processing provides a website interface orbackend server or services interface to enable selection of the vehicletype and the application to define the custom configuration and alsoenables updates to the custom configuration to add, delete or updateapplications to be associated with the custom configuration.

In some embodiments, the code for the custom configuration istransferred to the vehicle upon receiving credentials to access the useraccount from the vehicle so as to associate the vehicle to the customconfiguration, the association of the custom configuration to thevehicle being for a period of time.

In some embodiments, the period of time is for a session that remainsuntil logged out of the user account, or a period of inactivity, or whenbiometrics detects use by other than a person associated with the useraccount, or a second user account logs in to define a new session with asecond custom configuration of the second user account.

In some embodiments, vehicle electronics are programmed with a masteraccount, the master account being provided access communication withcloud services over the Internet, the master account enabling use of thecustom configuration with one or more restrictions.

In some embodiments, the restrictions include enabling, disabling orregulating system components of the vehicle, enabling or disablingcertain applications of the custom configuration, wherein therestrictions being updateable over a website that enables remoteconfiguration and monitoring of the vehicle using cloud services overthe Internet for the master account, the master account enabling one ormore guest accounts to be used on the vehicle, such that one or morecustom configurations are usable on the vehicle during respectivesessions.

In some embodiments, the method includes associating logins to the useraccount, the logins being used to determine if the custom configurationis enabled, or if a guest custom configuration should be enabled, or ifpublic custom configuration should be enabled, the user account includesprofile data defining which particular configurations should be enabledbased on the logins, wherein the logins are made via the vehicle thatcommunicates with cloud services via the Internet through a wirelesslink.

In some embodiments, the method includes saving use data of the vehiclefor each login, the use data further being linked to automaticnotifications, such that certain use data triggers an automaticnotification to an administrator of the user account, the notificationsincluding text notifications, phone call notifications, webnotifications, smartphone notifications, social network notifications,or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, biometrics include one or more of image data of adriver's face, a passenger's face, a finger print, a retina scan, asignature, a gesture, or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes providingaccess to cloud services over the Internet for customizing a userinterface of a vehicle. The method includes providing selection optionsto identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, eachvehicle type being associated with a system component native to thevehicle type, the system component providing native interfaces for thevehicle type. A plurality of applications are provided as available forthe vehicle type, and each of the applications may be provided withpredefined code for communicating with at least one control interface ofthe system component. The method includes defining a customconfiguration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includesnative interfaces for components native to the vehicle type and an appinterface for an application added to the user interface of the vehicle.The custom configuration is defined to set or program at least onescreen of the user interface for display on a vehicle display when thecustom configuration is wirelessly transferred to memory and electronicsof the vehicle from the database. The custom configuration is saved to auser account in a database interfaced over the Internet with the cloudservices. The method further includes receiving user input via thecustom configuration and learning patterns of user input over time. Themethod automatically programs one or more components of the customconfiguration based on the learned patterns of user input. The automaticprogramming changes over time based on the received user input over timevia the custom configuration. The changes to the automatic programmingare saved periodically to the user account in the database via awireless connection to the Internet. The method being executed by aprocessor.

In one embodiment, the custom configuration is generated using tools andprograms made available on a website. The tools and programs may beexecuted by computers, such as computers of a data center to providecloud based processing. The data centers can be distributedgeographically and the communication to specific vehicles can bedynamically assigned to various geographic data centers, as the vehiclesmove around geographically.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system for allowing developers tocreate applications for specific features and functionality to beintegrated with one or more vehicles of vehicle databases, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment where a system component is provided,for interfacing with applications, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example where the system component, including thesystems and control interfaces and associated API are linked orassociated to a number of applications to define a custom configuration,for one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an array of applications that can beprovided for use with the vehicle that a user is customizing to providea customized configuration, for one embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a system and use diagram, of the configuration of theuser interface, in accordance with one embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of user interfacing with a display in thedashboard of vehicle, in one embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates how the custom configuration that provides theinterface defined by the user is downloaded to the vehicle electronicsand the display of the vehicle in one embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example where a display device of the vehicle willillustrate and render different applications or application componentsin user-defined locations, in one embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of customization operations that can beperformed, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a custom interface, in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a system component with its APIs, andinterface with a plurality of applications selected by the user, inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of apps and system selections features,in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 13A-13D illustrate examples of different user interfaces that canbe defined by the user, in some embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates example flowchart, of operations performed togenerate a customized user interface for vehicle, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates another example, where a user uses a portable deviceto access the user profile, for one embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of synchronizing other applications to avehicle display, which may be customized by the user, for oneembodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates example where the user holding a portable device cansynchronize data from the portable device directly with the display ofthe vehicle, in one embodiment.

FIG. 18 describes a system in which a user interacts with a model viewcontroller software environment useful for processing APPS using APIs onvehicles with vehicle operating systems capable of processing computercode, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 19A describes how vehicle on board computer with input out putsystem useful for accepting input, processing input and displayingresults in conjunction with stored computer readable programs orfunctions in the forms of APPs may be structured, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 19B describes one example of how stored data and functiondeclarations may be compiled to provide intermediary access to avehicle's computer controlling vehicle systems, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 19C describes a set of computer readable and executable code thatcan be compiled together by a third party APP developer in the form ofan APP, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 20 describes the stepped flow of events as a user interacts with anAPP, in this case, an HVAC APP, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 21 Describes further ways an APP may take, process and produceresults, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 22A describes an ecosystem where an APP in conjunction with avehicle API may work together to make assumptions, make decisions andtake actions, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 22B describes how one of many types of inputs into an assumptionand reasoning logic module can be compiled over time, in accordance withone embodiment.

FIG. 22C describes one example of what an assumption and reasoning logicmodule may produce using the data points collected on an ongoing basisin FIG. 22B, in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 22D describes an example list of decision the decision and actionengine may take based on information provided by the assumption andreasoning logic module and sets of assumptions created, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 23 illustrates an example of a vehicle dashboard having a reducedclutter display, contextual recommendations and notifications providedto the vehicle computer from cloud services, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIGS. 24A, 24B, and 25 illustrate examples of contextual informationanalysis for information that concerns operational states of thevehicle, personal information associated with the user, learned patternsor behaviors of the user, the time of day, geo-location, and otherdynamically changing parameters that are synthesized to identifycontextual recommendations that are displayed to the user's interfacesand automatic launching of applications and content in applicationsbased on information that is believed to be needed at the time and atthe location and for the user and based on other factors, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIGS. 26A-26C illustrate examples of interaction modes selected for thevehicle, and the manner in which content items are displayed on the oneor more displays, the manner in which information is surfaced orprovided to the driver or occupants, and the dynamic automaticpresentation of content on the displays which are contextually relatedto factors that include the geo-location, content in a user's calendar,learned preferences or behaviors, the time of day, and other parametersin accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 27 illustrates an example of various interaction modes, and amethod for selecting the interaction modes on a display of a device, thevehicle, a mobile device, or any other Internet connected device, inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIGS. 28A-28E illustrates examples of interaction modes of a vehicle,for user account and a profile, and methods for selecting various modesor adjusting settings within the modes, or defining when learning shouldtake place for specific settings or modes, in accordance with severalembodiments.

FIGS. 29A-29B illustrate examples of ways for selecting and interactionmode for a vehicle, where in descriptive statements can be selected thatidentify the likes, dislikes, preferences, tendencies, or otherdescriptive elements concerning information and content that may bepreferred to a particular user, and methods for automaticallydetermining in interaction mode based on the descriptive selections.

FIGS. 30-33 illustrate example flow diagrams for various embodiments,which allow for communication of intelligently selected recommendations,information, surfacing of content, and selection of interaction modes orsettings for interaction modes, in accordance with several embodiments.

FIG. 34 illustrates an example of cloud services being able to interactwith multiple Internet services, cloud data structures, cloud databases,third-party websites, information services, user vehicles, and otherinformation and data that can be accessed for intelligentlycommunicating supplemental content to the user account for display onone or more displays of a vehicle, and for the dynamic receipt of userinteractions over time from the connected vehicle, in accordance withseveral embodiments.

FIG. 35 illustrates one example of a vehicle driving compartment and thepassenger seat, wherein a plurality of physical controls can becustomized by the use of dynamically changeable screens, which allowphysical controls the change functionality, display complexity, orinformation types, for blending the physical controls with aninteraction mode of a vehicle, in accordance with several embodiments.

FIG. 36 illustrates a hybrid physical/display controls with anassociated interaction mode customization.

FIG. 37 illustrates an example of a car dashboard having interactionstyles and screens and settings therefore, in accordance with oneembodiment.

DETAILED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention define methods, systems andapparatus for use in vehicles. The methods, systems and apparatusinclude electronics of vehicles that drive display devices in vehiclesand communicate wirelessly with Internet services. Some embodimentsdefine method and systems for enabling customization of displays of avehicle. The displays can be customized based on a user profile, and caninclude settings based on learned preferences. The displays and outputsof the vehicle are also configured to output or display supplementalcontent obtained for the user profile, based on contextually relevantinformation.

The contextual relevance can be based on information associated with thegeo-location of the vehicle, the state/condition of the vehicle, learnedpreferences, information in user online accounts, information fromsocial networks, information from patterns of use by the user,information based on the time of day, week, month or based on whencertain inputs or data is requested or looked up by the user. Theintersection of these information points allows for the system (e.g.,server, vehicle computer, user device, or combinations thereof) toprovide contextually relevant information to the vehicle, when the userneeds the information, so that distracted driving can be reduced.

Further, the vehicle can be customized or the user account/profile canbe customized for vehicles to allow interaction modes to be used.Interaction modes define the way of access-input, look and feel,content, simplicity, complexity, skins, etc. of the user interfaces orcontrols of the vehicle. By enabling this level of customization,vehicles can be configured or customized over time to the way each useris most comfortable, thus reducing distracted driving. Thiscustomization can also extend to physical inputs, such as knobs,switches, buttons, dials, etc. The customization can be, in oneembodiment, by adding display screens to physical inputs to definehybrid inputs. The display screens can be on the physical inputs orbeside the inputs, so that the content displayed can change, thuschanging the functionality of each or some or one of the physical inputbased on an interaction mode or setting. By providing this level ofcustomization, distracted driving can be reduced, as the vehicle iscustomized to what the user is most comfortable with and can thusconcentrate on driving.

The Internet services provide access to cloud services. The cloudservices provide access to user accounts and access to settings,configurations, applications and other customization defined by theuser. Customization can include user interface customization of avehicle display or displays. The customization can include the abilityto select specific applications (APPS) to be activated by the vehicleand interfaced via the display or displays, voice input, touch input,etc. The customization is also provided with a learning engine thatlearns use by the user, and automatically implements settings orprogramming to aspects of the user interface. The programming caninclude automatic programming at certain times, days, months, years,etc., and can be updated or molded over time as the user continues touse the vehicle UI.

In one embodiment, a user can access cloud services for a vehiclemanufacturer and identify the particular vehicle from selected choices.The user can then identify a customization profile for the vehicle bydefining the look and feel of a UI display, arrangement of vehiclecontrols on displays, add and associate third party APPS to the vehicledisplay, and save the configuration.

The configuration, in one embodiment, is saved to the profile of theuser. In one embodiment, the profile is saved on a database of aspecific vehicle manufacturer that offers the customization option. Instill other embodiments, once a configuration is saved to the profileaccount of a user, that configuration can be shared to other vehicles ofthe user. In still other embodiments, when a user buys a new car, thecustom configuration can be transferred either entirely or partially tothe new vehicle. In some embodiments, if the vehicle has more or lesssystem functions, the customization can be adjusted automatically or theuser can be provided with options to update the customization to add ordelete features. In one embodiment, the customization will befacilitated via a website. In one embodiment, the website may be of thevehicle manufacturer. In one embodiment, the website of the vehiclemanufacturer can allow the user to add APPS that are created by thirdparties. The third parties can create APPS that communicate with APIs ofthe system components of specific vehicles of the manufacturer. OnceAPPS are selected, the user can add them to the custom user interface(UI) display.

The user can also be allowed to arrange the APPS or icons of APPS in aspecific custom arrangement that is saved to the user's profile. In oneembodiment, the user's profile can also be run on various vehicles,other than those owned by the user. For instance, if the user is rentinga vehicle and the vehicle has access to cloud services, the user canenter his user name and password (or other identifiers), which log theuser into the cloud services and saved profiles. The saved profiles willthen enable logic to build a custom UI for the user based on the vehiclebeing driven. In one embodiment, the system components and APIs of thesystem components of the rented vehicle can be paired or linked to theusers saved APP selections.

The user's saved UI configuration may also be transferred to the displayof the rented (or other vehicle) vehicle. A best-fit configuration canalso be generated using the user's profile selections, so that theconfiguration provided for the other vehicle will closely resemble orappear as it does for the configured vehicle. In other embodiments, theuser's use metrics can be monitored. The use metrics can include use ofAPPS, use be of system components of the vehicle, use of the vehicle,environment conditions, and historical actions taken by the user via theinput/output controls of the vehicle (e.g., buttons, levers, keys, fobs,display selections, display interface actions, communication actions,etc.).

These historical actions can then be used to define learned actions. Thelearned actions can be analyzed to change configuration settings in theuser's saved profile. For instance, if the user uses a particular APPevery day at a particular time, that APP icon can be surfaced to thedisplay or preset to start. The APP can then provide information to theuser at about the same time the user normally needs the information.Other historical use patterns can be monitored and such data can besaved to the user's profile. The data can then be used by algorithmsthat build assumptions based on historical inputs by a user as well asenvironmental inputs, location inputs, vehicle diagnostic inputs;internet connected marketing deals, the user's calendar, trafficconditions as well as news. The assumptions the algorithm builds arethen processed into decisions and actions by an additional algorithmicprocess to activate local or remote audio and visual alerts, changevehicle systems, display information on a vehicle's displays and requesta decision from a user locally or remotely to complete an action.

A number of embodiments are described below, with reference to specificimplementations that refer to vehicles, but such implementations shouldbe broadly construed to include any type of vehicle, structure orobject. Without limitation, vehicles can include any type of movingobject that can be steered, and can include vehicles that are for humanoccupancy or not. Vehicles can include those that are privately owned,owned by corporations, commercially operated vehicles, such as buses,automobiles, trucks, cars, buses, trains, trolleys, etc. Examplevehicles can include those that are combustion engine based, electricengine (EV) based, hybrids, or other types of energy source vehicles.

A cloud processing system, as described herein, will include systemsthat are operated and connected to the Internet or to each other usinglocal networking communication protocols. A cloud processing system canbe defined as interconnected and distributed physical or virtualsoftware defined network that utilizes virtual or physical processingand storage machines that enable various applications and operatingsystems to facilitate the communication with and between various clientdevices (vehicles, user devices, structures, objects etc.). Thecommunication with and between the various client devices will enablethe cloud processing system to deliver additional processinginformation, data, and real-time metrics concerning data obtained fromother processing systems as well as client feedback data. Thedistributed nature of the cloud processing system will enable users ofvarious vehicles, structures and objects to access the Internet, and bepresented with more flexible processing power that will provide therequested services in a more effective manner.

The processing systems can be defined from various data centers thatinclude multiple computing systems that provide the processing power toexecute one or more computer readable programs. The processing of thecomputer readable programs can produce operations that can respond torequests made by other processing systems that may be local to avehicle's electronic system. For example, a vehicle can includeelectronics that utilize memory and a processor to execute programinstructions to provide services.

In other embodiments, the electronics of a vehicle can synchronize witha user's portable electronics. The user's electronics can include, forexample mobile devices that include smartphones, tablet computers,laptop computers, general-purpose computers, special purpose computers,etc. The various computing devices of the vehicle, and or the computingdevices of the user (smart devices) can be connected to the Internet orto each other. Provided that a user has access or account access to thecloud service, the cloud processing services on the Internet can provideadditional processing information to the electronics of the vehicle.

The wireless communication can include cellular tower communication thatcouples and communicates through various networks to the Internet, toprovide access to cloud processing 120. Other methods can includeproviding Wi-Fi communication to local Wi-Fi transmitters and receivers,which communicate with cloud processing 120. Other types ofcommunication can include radio frequency communication, such as802.11.ac, 802.11ad and subsequent wireless networking protocols,Bluetooth communication or combinations of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Itshould be understood that vehicle electronics can communicate with cloudprocessing 120 via any number of communication methods, so long asexchanges of data can be made with cloud processing 120 from time totime.

The communication can be made by vehicle electronics while the vehicleis on or when the vehicle is off, so long as communication andprocessing circuitry of vehicle electronics has a power source. Thepower source can include battery power that powers vehicle electronicsto communicate with cloud processing 120 when vehicle is turned off.When vehicle is turned on, the battery that drives vehicle electronicscan be recharged.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system for allowing developers tocreate applications for specific features and functionality to beintegrated with one or more vehicles of vehicle databases. As shown,developers 102 create APPS 104 which is provided to a vehiclemanufacturer 106. The APPS, in one embodiment, can be reviewed by themanufacturer to determine if they are save to play in the vehicle or canadd restrictions. The restrictions can include, for example, allowaccess when the vehicle is in “park” mode, stopped, or access may beenabled by passengers. Passengers may be verified for presence, beforeenabling features for the passengers.

The applications provided to the vehicle manufacturers can also verifyfunctionality and approve aspects of the application to be provided toan applications database. Users of vehicles, made by the manufacturer,can then access a website to select specific applications for additionto their vehicles. In one example, an Internet site 110 may therefore bemanaged by or for the vehicle manufacture. User account profiles 112 canbe managed to provide access to APPS of an app portal 114. In otherexamples, the site 110 can be managed by third party companies, partnercompanies that cooperate with a vehicle manufacturers, and/or internetcompanies that provide some or all of the backend or front end servicesand cloud storage and processing.

The vehicle manufacturer may also manage or provide a vehicle typedatabase 116, or provide data for the database 116. As the vehiclemanufacturer makes updates to existing APPS, systems or adds newvehicles to its vehicle lines, the vehicle type database may also beupdated accordingly. Updates can also be forwarded to the vehicle overtime or can be automatically installed. The updates, in one embodiment,can provide new UI features, controls, etc. As shown, the app portal 114may include a plurality of applications that have been developed bydevelopers 102 and/or also approved by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

The app portal 114 can also include APPS that are produced by thevehicle manufacturer or applications that are made for the vehiclemanufacturer. Cloud services 120 includes various modules that allowcustomers of the vehicle manufacturers to access the vehiclemanufacturers cloud services, and provide interconnection to thevehicles in operation. In one example, a user 121 uses a computingdevice to access cloud services 120 in order to customize 124 the userinterface of a vehicle. Broadly speaking, the user interface of avehicle can include any display device in the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the display device can include displays that canprovide instrumentation normally provided by standard vehicleindicators. The display device is not limited to a display normallyplaced in the center console, but can also any display screen. Thedisplay screen can also include that used to normally provide speed, andsystems settings in the dash over the wheel. The display screen can alsoinclude other screens in a vehicle, such as those in passenger areas.Additionally, the user interface can also include display devices thatdisplay systems and auxiliary information, such as that provided byapplications generated by developers 102, and/or applications producedby the vehicle manufacture. In one embodiment, the vehicle manufacturerwill produce a software module for systems information that allowsaccess to the system components of the vehicle.

The systems component is shown as “SYS” 128, which is interfaced with anapplication-programming interface (API) 130. The vehicle module 129 willtherefore include the systems component and the API that will provideaccess and interface with applications produced by third parties andapplications produced by the vehicle manufacture. In one embodiment, thesystem components interfaced with selected ones of the applications willproduce a customized configuration 126. The customize configuration 126will define the selected applications that were interfaced with thesystems of the selected vehicle by the user 121. Once the customizeconfiguration 126 has been selected (e.g., the APPS selected by the userto add or augment the current system APPS or system controls), the usermay be provided with options to customize the arrangement of the UI(user interface) 134.

The customization, in one embodiment includes enabling the user tocustomize the user interface by arranging specific components of theuser interface and specific locations on the display. For example, auser is allowed to select specific components, modules, applets,widgets, code pieces, and arrange them in specific locations that arepreferred to the specific user for ease-of-use, or frequency of use, orfor a specific look and feel.

This arrangement of the UI will therefore enable specific applicationsto act as modules that can be arranged on a display. The applicationscan then expand or contract to occupy the entire display when selectedand exposing additional functions buttons annualize when selected. Aswill be defined below, additional customization of the arrangement ofthe UI 134 will allow user interaction with the user interface tocustomize itself based on learned use activity (e.g., over a historyperiod) by the user.

In one optional embodiment, a user is allowed to associate a smartphoneor portable device having applications with the customizationconfiguration 126, in operation 136. For example, if certainapplications are already loaded on a smartphone or portable device thatis proximate or in the vehicle, the applications can synchronize or pairwith the applications that are part of the customize configuration 126.The capability of synchronizing certain applications with the customizeconfiguration 126 of the vehicle, allows for an integration ofapplications known and used by the user on the personal device, andapplications that were made part of the customize configuration 126,using the customization tools of the vehicle manufacturer.

Once the user has customized the arrangements and has associated anyportable device applications to the customized configuration 126, thecustom UI may be transferred to the user account profile in operation138. The transfer of the customize UI to that user account profile caninclude saving specific identifier information, application information,and any customization desired by the user for that specific vehicle orplurality of vehicles. Once the custom UI has been saved to the useraccount profile database 112, the user can then transfer or themanufacturer cloud services 120 can transfer the profile and custom UIto the vehicle in operation 140.

The transfer of the custom UI to the vehicle can be made by Internetconnection between the vehicle electronics and the Internet 110. Asshown in FIG. 1, the transfer of the custom UI to the vehicle 160 canoccur once the customization has occurred. In one embodiment, thecustomization configured by the user 121 can also be saved to the useraccount of user 121 in a database of the manufacturer. If the user 121then buys another car from the same manufacturer, the custom userinterface can be transferred to the other vehicle in a seamless manner.If the other vehicle has additional features not provided by theearlier, a mapping algorithm provided by cloud services 120 can adjustthe settings for the new vehicle to match or substantially match thoseof the earlier vehicle based on the user's preferences. In oneembodiment, the matching can be a best-fit or compatible scenario, whichprovides the user with substantially similar configuration. Theconfiguration can then be updated by the user if the custom settings orconfigurations made by the cloud services do not meet the user's desireor configuration.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment where a system component 129 isprovided, for interfacing with applications. In one embodiment, thesystem component 129 includes a definition of systems and controlinterfaces (CIs). The systems can include a number of standard systemsutilized, which are commonly provided in manufacturing settings ofvehicles by vehicle manufacturers. These systems are provided withcorresponding control interfaces, which enable access to the systemcomponents. The control interfaces, for example, may enable access tothe functionality provided by each of the system elements. For example,if the system is a radio, the radio will be provided with controlinterfaces or a control interface that enable functional access to thefeatures of the radio. Functional features can include for example,volume, station selection, seek, pause, base, balance, storing ofstations, etc. Other system features will be provided with theircorresponding control interfaces, which will be then accessible via anapplication programming interface (API) 130.

The API provides a defined method and structure for accessing thevarious control interfaces of the system elements of a vehicle. Othertypes of systems can also include add-on components, plug-ins, such asthose that may be downloaded to the vehicle from third party companies,from the manufacturer, or installed by the manufacturer automatically(or with pre-permission). Still further, other systems can includedisplays, which may be part of the vehicle. The displays can be providedwith a control interface to enable the API to access the displayfunctionality. In one embodiment, a vehicle can have a number ofdisplays. The number displays can be, for example, the main dashboardfor vehicle, a center console of the vehicle, a rear display, apassenger display, a glass display, a mirror display, a heads-updisplay, glasses of the driver, the windshield of a vehicle with displaycapability, a window of the vehicle, a touch surface of the vehicle, orportable devices link or synchronized to the vehicle electronics thatprovide access to the display system and control interfaces via the API130.

As illustrated, the system component 129 may be defined by a vehiclemanufacturer for a specific vehicle type. In one embodiment, a vehiclewebsite 190, or third-party site may provide access to system componentdefinitions for specific vehicles. In one example, the vehicle website190 may be provided by a vehicle manufacturer 180. The vehiclemanufacturer 180 may provide a listing of the types of vehicles sold bythe manufacturer, and the various years for those vehicles as modeltypes and functionality in each model change over time. In oneembodiment, a user can visit the vehicle manufacturer 180 via websitesor a cloud service, and select the vehicle to obtain the systemcomponent 129. In one embodiment, a particular vehicle type and year ofvehicle may make use of more than one system component 129 if themanufacturer provided more than one system component or update.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example where the system component 129, includingthe systems and control interfaces and associated API are linked orassociated to a number of applications to define a custom configuration200. Custom configuration 200 was defined by allowing a user to selectvarious applications that will be integrated with to providesupplemental content or functionality to the vehicle. In one embodiment,the applications can also replace application functionality provided bythe systems in system component 129.

For example, an application can be selected by the user to provide acustom radio interface, which replaces the radio interface provided bythe vehicle manufacturer. In still another example, an application canbe provided to replace the temperature meters with custom temperaturemeters, and provide additional data on the display not provided by thestandard vehicle manufacturer user interfaces.

In still another embodiment, the application selected by the user candefine complementary functionality that will function in conjunctionwith the system components. In this example, the applicationfunctionalities that are paired with the system component 129 to definethe custom configuration 200 will provide a hybrid user interface thatis custom to the user. The customization is defined by the user, forexample, by selecting specific applications, selecting differentbackground colors, wallpapers, for the user interfaces, selectingdifferent input interfaces, adjusting the location and positioning ofapplication components displayed on a vehicle display, and programmingthe various application elements and functions to operates and providefeedback based on user-defined programming.

In still another embodiment, the custom configuration can be defined bythe user to provide a different background color on different days ofthe week. The background color can be customized or replaced withpictures or photographs customized and selected or uploaded by the user.In this way, the user interface, system components, and applicationsinstalled on the vehicle will provide a customized look and feel that isdefined by the user for the vehicle, and additional functionality willcooperate and function with the systems of the vehicle by providing themapping to the API to each of the applications that are selected by theuser.

In still another embodiment, the applications can function alongsidesystem components without requiring the applications to interfacedirectly with manufacturers systems the of the control interfaces. Inthis scenario, applications can function and be placed in the userinterface of the custom configuration in the same locations set by theuser.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an array of applications that can beprovided for use with the vehicle that a user is customizing to providea customized configuration. As illustrated, the applications 104provided in a menu or listing 114 show particular applications that canbe made accessible to the user for the selected vehicle that is beingcustomized. In one embodiment, depending on the vehicle beingcustomized, a different subset of applications will be provided to theuser for selection. The subset of applications provided to the user willbe those that are known to operate or interface with the selected systemcomponents of the selected vehicle.

In one embodiment, the custom configuration 200 will define a custominterface 202 that will be rendered on a display of a vehicle or on morethan one display of vehicle. In one embodiment, the applications thatare provided for selection in listing 114 may include third-partyproduced applications as well as applications produced by the vehiclemanufacturer. Still further, the applications may be add-on applicationsthat provide additional functionality to existing applications orexisting system configurations. In still other embodiments, theapplications can be defined as applets, plug-ins, widgets, code subsets,skins, code, or combinations of one or more thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates a system and use diagram, of the configuration of theuser interface, in accordance with one embodiments of the presentinvention. As shown, applications 114 may be selected by a user thatwishes to generate a custom configuration for a vehicle. In oneembodiment, the user may go to a vehicle website 190 where the user mayselect a vehicle system component that matches the vehicle that the userwishes to customize. In one embodiment, the user would establish a useraccount in a cloud service of the vehicle manufacturer, or a third-partysite that provides customization features for the vehicle manufacturer.

The cloud services 120 may provide interface customization 206 toolsthat will allow the user to select the application 114, select thesystem component for the vehicle, and arrange the selected applications,arrangement of the applications on the display screen, settings for thedifferent applications, etc., to thus define a custom configuration forthe user interface. The custom configuration will then be saved to auser profile database 112, which saves the custom configuration andprovides access to the custom configuration for updates from time totime by the user, or for updates provided by the vehicle manufacturer.

In one specific example, a user 121 can visit a website, an app, or aportal to customize a vehicle display 210 using tools provided by awebsite that allows the customization. The tools can include pull-downmenus, selection icons, text entries, radio buttons, arrangement andcustomization feature selectors, program settings, etc. The user canaccess the website using any user device. The user device can alsoinclude setting the custom configuration via a vehicle 160. In general,the configuration can be made using any device that has access to theInternet.

In operation 220, the user will select a vehicle using the toolsprovided by the website. Selecting the vehicle will allow the correctselection of the system component for that vehicle, and any otherupdates or parameters defined by the vehicle manufacturer. The systemsfor the vehicle user interface will then be identified in operation 222.A tool than be provided to allow selection of the apps to add to theinterface in operation 224. As mentioned in this disclosure, the usercan select any number of applications to add to the customconfiguration. From time to time, the user can select additionalapplications to add to the custom configuration or removed from thecustom configuration. In operation 226, the user customization for theuser interface will be received including the defined applications andsystems.

In operation 228, the custom configuration will then be generated andcan be assigned to the user profile of a user account, in a database(s)of websites handling the cloud services 220. In some embodiments, thewebsite may be hosted in a distributed manner, using virtualization anddistributed data centers. The distributed data centers can thencommunicate data and process operation to the vehicle to execute theapplications and system components, and provide resources fromthird-party applications and applications over the Internet.

The generated custom configuration can then be transferred to thevehicle 160 and operated using vehicle electronics 162. Vehicleelectronics 162 can also include a display. As mentioned above, thedisplay can be a single display or a plurality of displays. The displaysare configured to generate images for various screens, selections,icons, buttons, controls, and received touch input and communicate textinformation and other data to users.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of user 121 interfacing with a display 162in the dashboard of vehicle 160. In this example, the display 162 willproduce a user interface 250 that requests the user to input a user ID.The user ID can be any credentialing type input. The credentials caninclude usernames and passwords, keys, alphanumeric entries, biometricinputs, voice inputs, retina scan inputs, fingerprints, facerecognition, etc. In FIG. 6, user 121 will enter the user ID which wouldthen send a custom interface request to cloud services 120, over theInternet. As mentioned above, vehicle 160 is connected to the Internet,or is connected to the Internet at particular times. When the vehicle160 is connected to the Internet, the request can be sent to cloudservices 120, to request the custom configuration for the user.

A user having an account with cloud services 120 will have previouslydefined custom configurations that may be downloaded or accessed withoutdownload for the specific vehicle. The vehicle ID would be sent to thecloud services 120 by the vehicle upon sending the request for thecustom configuration.

FIG. 7 illustrates how the custom configuration 200 that provides theinterface defined by the user is downloaded to the vehicle electronicsand the display 162 of the vehicle 160. The display 162, as noted above,is only an example display, and display can be of any size and caninclude multiple displays. For simplicity, a single display 162 is shownin FIG. 7.

In this example, the display 162 is populated with user interfaces forthe system as well as the applications. As shown, app interfaces may bepresented in specific locations in the user interface as well as systeminterfaces that are provided in other specific locations in the userinterface. In one embodiment, the definition of where the specific userinterfaces for the systems and the apps are to be defined is set by theuser during the configuration process.

In other embodiments, the positioning and layout or arrangement of thespecific components of the user interface, whether they are systeminterfaces or app interfaces, may be custom arranged by the system overtime based on use patterns. The use patterns of the user can be learnedby the system so as to arrange the various system components and appcomponents in various locations of the display 162. In otherembodiments, certain interfaces will be surfaced (e.g., shown orpresented) on the display at certain times of day, certain times of theweek, certain times of the month, certain times of the year, etc. Betterplacement of the app components and system components, and programmingof data into the components can be optimized over time based on learningthe input patterns provided by the user to user interface.

For example, if the user always views the weather in the mornings at 8o'clock or 9 o'clock and a.m., then the weather icon or interface willautomatically start to be surfaced (e.g., show or displayed, orillustrated (visually or audibly) on the display during those times. Ifthe user plays rock 'n roll rock music on the weekends and classicalmusic during the weekdays, this preference will also be learned.Learning of these preferences will act to custom define the layouts andplacement of the icons and user interfaces on the display over time. Instill other embodiments, the specific placement, location, andarrangement of the apps, system components, buttons, controls, etc.,will be preset and fixed by the user based on predefined settings.

These predefined or learned settings can be saved to the database incloud services and associated with the user account. Updates to thesettings can then be made at any time by accessing cloud services overthe Internet using any device, whether the devices are in the car, ofthe car, a portable device, a home computer, a work computer, a tablet,a smart phone, a smart watch computer, etc. Also shown in FIG. 7 is anembodiment where a user's smart phone or mobile device is synchronizedwith the user interface of the vehicle 160. In this embodiment, theuser's portable device 210 can synchronize and upload content and UIcontrols from applications stored and running on the portable device210. This provides for safer driving, as the controls shown on thevehicle display can be restricted based on driving or operation status.

In one embodiment, the user can custom configure to have content fromapplications running on the portable device 210 to be displayed in thevehicle displayed 162 in a specific location. This location on thedisplay can then be synchronized or mirrored to that part of the displaybased on the configuration. In still other embodiments, the customconfiguration can determine to synchronize an application running on theportal device to occupy the entire display 162. For example, if the userwishes to use his own telephone calling interface and contacts that arestored on the portable device 210, that information can be populated andmirrored to the display device 162, while still using other systemcomponents or other applications of the vehicle in the background or ina separate screen that is not currently active. In this example, theportable device 210 as well as the vehicle electronics can communicatewith cloud services 120 at the same time, or when specific functions,data or communication is required.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example where a display device 162 of the vehiclewill illustrate and render different applications or applicationcomponents in user-defined locations. In this example, different partsof the display contain different components or applications, which arecustom designed or laid out by the user in the custom configuration. Inone embodiment, the applications can be third-party applications, whichare custom designed to operate with the system component of the vehicle.In this manner, the user can decide to get third-party apps 104 toreplace certain applications provided by the system.

However, the user that defines the custom configuration can decide tomaintain certain system component applications 128. The custom interface260 may therefore include a hybrid of third-party applications andsystem applications, all designed to be laid out arranged and providethe look and feel/functionality desired by the user. In thisillustration, a third-party app 104 is provided for a calendar. Thecalendar may be synchronized with a user's online calendar, whichautomatically populates the user's data to the vehicle user interface.The radio app may also be a third-party app, which may have radiostations that are a mix of land-based radio and Internet radio. Scoresfrom time to time, the user can then arrange the location of thespecific applications to different portions of the display.

Still further, certain applications can increase in size when being usedor decrease in size to enable selection at a later time. For example,selecting the temperature system component may expand the systemcomponent to a larger space, thus temporarily removing other displayedcomponents. The user can also select other buttons to access othersystem controls, other apps, or modify or add applications or systemcontrols. When modifications are made, the modifications are saved to auser database and profile of the user, as managed by cloud services.

Cloud services will therefore allow any future modifications to be madeto the custom configuration at any time and from any computer connectedto the Internet. Still further, the custom configuration can betransferred to a second vehicle. If the custom configuration istransferred to a second vehicle, the system can select the systemcomponents for the second vehicle and attempted do a best match ofapplications available for the second vehicle that resemble or match theones used in a first vehicle. Specific settings, arrangements and otherfeatures may also be transferred to a second vehicle, by simplytransferring the custom configuration to a second vehicle.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of customization operations that can beperformed, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.In one example, a standard radio interface 302 is shown having standardradio functions, such as text controls icons and the like. If a userdoes not like the radio interface 302 provided by the manufacturer ofthe vehicle, the user may choose to replace the radio system 302 with athird-party application 104, that provides a customized radio interface.In one example, the application 104 can provide an interface 304, whichhas a number of sections or areas. These areas can be customized in oneembodiment, or can be defined by the developer of the third-partyapplication 104.

If the sections are customizable, the user can select certain portionsof interface 304 to be provided by another third-party application 104.For example, interfaces can be used to customize the entire systemcomponent, such as the entire radio 302 interface, or the customizeradio interface 304. The interface can be itself customized by addingsub applications or subcomponents of code that define smaller userinterface sections for the custom system configuration of a radio.

Once specific modules have been customized, either by selectingpre-customized third-party applications, or by constructing a custommodule, these modules can be arranged to define a custom placement orarrangement of user interface modules to be displayed on a vehicledisplay 162. The customized display 260 can therefore be defined by aplurality of modules, which may be provided or obtained by addingthird-party applications to the custom interface design by the user, orby moving or arranging existing user interface components provided bythe manufacturer to specific locations on a screen arrangement. Othercustomization features can include, adding custom backgrounds such asimages, pictures, and other multimedia components to the display.

In one embodiment, the custom interface can include smaller icons/GUIsthat identify specific applications that were added to the custominterface, that when selected expand to provide the functionality of theapplications. The applications can be minimized or maximized on thescreen. In one embodiment, the functions of the specific applicationsillustrated in the display 162 will be monitored and restricteddepending on safety considerations while driving. For example, if theinterfacing functionality requires more interactivity with the display,or requires a reading of text or inputting text, those functions will bedisabled during operation of the vehicle. Once the vehicle comes to astop, or is placed in Park, certain of these functions will beactivated. In other embodiments, other safety considerations will allowfor applications to shift from outputting text to outputting audio orvoice. The input can also be changed from touchscreen, button touches,selections, and/or voice input. In still other embodiments, safetyconsiderations can allow certain user interface components to move aboutthe display to provide easier reading while driving or automaticconversion of text to audio.

For example, content being displayed in the center panel display of thevehicle, can be automatically shown in the dashboard display region ofthe vehicle, such as in front of the steering wheel. In still otherembodiments, some content or display data can be moved from the centerconsole or the display in front of the steering wheel to the windshieldof the vehicle in a heads-up display area. Accordingly, algorithmsexecuted by the applications and applications of the manufacturer, cancooperate to provide functionality to the application features andinterfaces, while maintaining safety parameters defined by rules. Thesafety parameters will therefore allow content of the user interface tobe shifted around to various displays of the vehicle, or translated tovoice or audio at certain points in time.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a custom interface 260, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the custominterface 260 includes various components or modules. The variouscomponents and modules can be arranged or defined by suggestedarrangements during the customization by the user. As mentioned above,the customization by the user can be facilitated by allowing access totools and website applications that allow selection, arrangement,dragging, color definition, size definition, positioning definition, andother custom controls. The custom controls can also be used to definesettings for the various components. The settings can includeprogramming and custom alarms, settings of when particular types ofmusic should be played, radio station selection, pre-turn on of thevehicle at certain times to provide heat to the vehicle or cool thevehicle in advance, and other remote access, monitoring, imagedetection, security features, and associated settings.

These settings and customizations can be made through the web/cloudservices and tools provided by the website of, for example themanufacturer of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the cloud servicesprovided by the manufacturer can be provided by a partner of themanufacturer. The partners of the manufacturer can include softwarecompanies that develop, host, or manage certain functionality providedby the vehicle manufacturer. In other embodiments, the partner softwarecompanies can integrate tools or components with tools and components ofthe vehicle manufacturer. This provides for an integration with one ormore cloud services, software services, Internet services, and servicesprovided by systems of vehicles or systems of the vehicle manufacture.In either case, whether the software and logic is designed andconstructed by one or more entities, the cloud services provided by thevehicle manufacturer or the website that provides the tools forcustomization will appear as a unified simple to use interface for theuser. As mentioned above, the cloud services can provide databases forsaving the user profile and data associated with the user account.

The user profile can include settings made by the user, customizationsmade by the user, identification of applications purchased or added tothe vehicle customizations, etc. Still further, the user profile datacan be part or be associated with the user account. In this manner, theuser that customized a user interface can access the Internet at anytime, whether through the vehicle or through any other computing devicehaving access to the Internet and make changes, modifications, or accesscontrol features of the vehicle remotely. In one embodiment, the profileof the user can be accessed from any vehicle, such as rented vehicles orshared vehicles. Settings and profile data can then be shared for aperiod of time on any vehicle and use data on that vehicle can bestored.

Continuing with the example of FIG. 10, it is shown that several of thecomponents of the custom interface 260 can include applications from 3rdparties, or applications and controls provided by the vehiclemanufacturer. In one embodiment, an application provided by third-party,such as an online calendar, can be synchronized with the user's calendarmanaged by a 3rd party or stored by a 3rd party on a website. Forexample, if the user uses a cloud service to store his or her calendar,the calendar appointments can also be displayed on the vehicleinterface, and are synchronized to the users global calendar settingsthat are accessible through any computing device. In one embodiment, thedaily planner can include data or information for the user, such asreminders to purchase or get certain things. If while the user isdriving around those certain things can be purchased or obtained fromlocal merchants, the user can be provided with notifications ofavailability of those particular things or goods the user desires topurchase.

In still other embodiments, advertisers can provide data to the userthat is relevant to the user, such as discounts for the goods orservices the user wishes to purchase. In still another embodiment, anapplication can be provide for the vehicle that provides a user theability to set and to find certain things, such as goods and servicesthe user needs. As the user drives around, and algorithm determineswhether certain goods or services are available in the proximity of thevehicle's driving actions. If the vehicle approaches or is near certaingoods and services, and such goods and services are advertised to have adiscount or availability, the user can be notified on the user display,or by audio output by the vehicle. This functionality can be enabled ordisabled on demand, as programmed by the user in the application that'sadded to the user interface.

Still in FIG. 10, it is shown that other applications can be embeddedinto other applications. For example, the standard system interface forthe temperature control and fan of the vehicle can be customized to addadditional features. For example, in addition to the controls for thestandard vehicle settings, the user can also be provided with controlsto access or add additional applications. These additional applicationscan be embedded or overlaid on other applications. In one example, andembedded application can allow user to embed a weather application,which is synchronized to an Internet service. In other embodiments,other applications such as phone messages, notes and the like can besynchronized with an Internet application or with a local device.

The local device might be the user's mobile phone, the user's computerwristwatch, the user tablet computer, the user's laptop computer, or themobile device of a person inside the vehicle. In one embodiment, datafrom the local devices can be synchronized locally to the display of thevehicle in selected regions. These selected regions of the display canbe defined by the user during customization, or can be definedautomatically by the system based on sizing areas on the display,relative to other applications or features displayed on the one or moredisplays of the vehicle.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a system component with its APIs, andinterface with a plurality of applications 126 selected by the user. Theuser can select add or delete applications from time to time to definecustom addition of apps to the system or to replace system controls.Once the user has selected the certain applications, a customarrangement of the apps and systems on the user interface display can beenabled. As mentioned above, the customer arrangement, definition,placement 308 of certain components or applications on a display can becustomized by the user.

Also noted is that the system can automatically arrange or move certainapplications or components on the display depending on size constraints,or other features that are synchronized with system settings. Inoperation 310, the user can be provided with tools to enable preview ofthe user interface and allow for modifications from time to time. Thecustomization can then be saved to the user profile or user account inoperation 312. In operation 314, the custom configuration can then betransferred to the UI settings of the vehicle to allow for display, inaccordance with the arrangement configuration, selection of applicationsconfiguration, and rules enforced by the vehicle manufacturer to enablesafety and use of the applications and features.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of apps and system selections features210, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In oneexample, the user can be provided with a number of applications toselect when accessing cloud services over the Internet 110, for additionto a custom configuration. In one embodiment, once the user has selectedthe vehicle type, manufacturer and brand of the vehicle, the user isprovided with an automatic listing of certain applications that areavailable for that vehicle for customization. In this illustrativeexample, which is not exhaustive of all possible types of userinterfaces and selection menus and presentation types, the user can beprovided with icons that illustrate example user interface that canexample apps that may be added to the vehicle or vehicle customization.As noted above, the customization can be provided with apps, as well aswidgets, or code that can be added to the display. The apps and code canbe provided by 3rd parties or the manufacturer of the vehicle, or both.

FIGS. 13A-13D illustrate examples of different user interfaces that canbe defined by the user. Again, these different configurations andarrangements are provided simply as an example. Additionally, althoughonly one displays being shown, the configuration can be made formultiple displays in a single vehicle. Most commonly, the display is onethat can be located in the center console of a vehicle. However, oftenthe display can also be incorporated as the main display in thedashboard, which shows and illustrates common dashboard system readingsand data. These can include, for example, the speed of the vehicle, theRPMs of the vehicle, the fuel level of the vehicle, the temperature ofthe vehicle, the battery life of the vehicle, the battery and range ofan electric vehicle (EV), and related data. Thus, the customization canbe for any display in the vehicle, including displays in passenger areasof vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 13A-13D, various ones of applications can be locatedin different locations of a display screen. Although the display andfeatures of the display are described as being applications, the iconscan represent access to the applications and the icons can expand toencompass the entire screen or part of the screen at various times ofuse. In one embodiment, the user can customize the display directly fromthe display, by selecting more apps, can view different screens byselecting a next screen, can access system applications, can access thephone, can provide for other customizations and layouts, can update theprofile. As noted earlier, the custom configuration can be set for aparticular user.

When the user is not using the vehicle, the custom configuration can beturned off or locked out for another session. Once the user wants tostart a new session, the user can log back in and the customconfiguration returns. In other embodiments, the custom configurationwill automatically turn off when the user is not driving the vehicle orhas not logged into the vehicle. In other embodiments, the customconfiguration can be automatically turned on when the user is detected.The user can be detected using biometrics, login credentials, imagedetection of the face, fingerprint detection, retina scans, etc. Stillfurther, the custom configuration can be transferred to other vehicles.

If the user wishes to use his or her custom configuration in anothervehicle, the user can login to the custom configuration or user accountfrom another vehicle. If the other vehicle does not have all the systemcomponents needed to define the custom configuration, the customconfiguration can be supplemented with other similar componentsautomatically. In other embodiments, the custom configuration can betransferred from one vehicle to another, or when the user buys a newvehicle. In another embodiment, the custom configuration can be adjustedbased on the driver. The custom configuration can also be presetremotely from the Internet, using the cloud services. The customconfiguration can also be configured to provide limited use of certainsystems or the vehicle, such as when a guest is driving the vehicle. Inother embodiments, restrictions can be placed on the vehicle speed,location of driving, and automatic notifications for the user or themaster user of the vehicle. The master user of the vehicle can have amaster account with administrator credentials.

In still another embodiment, the vehicle can be loaned to a child ofdriving age (under 21/18 years of age), and the child can be providedwith restricted use of the vehicle. When the child exceeds or does notfollow the restrictions of the vehicle, automatic notifications can beprovided to the user that is the administrator of the vehicle. Thenotifications can be by cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer, mobiledevice, text messages, phone calls, commendations of phone calls andtext, audio messages, audible sounds, vibrations, and commendationsthereof. History use of the vehicle can also be maintained in cloudservices. The history use can provide the user with information as towhere the vehicle has been, the speed or events, violations thatoccurred when use of the vehicle etc. The configuration can also providemessages to the driver warning the driver of when the vehicle hasexceeded a restriction, or is approaching a restriction in use, drivingarea, speed, etc.

FIG. 14 illustrates example flowchart, of operations performed togenerate a customized user interface for vehicle, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the methodbegins by enabling access 402 to a vehicle site to enable selection ofvehicles to customize for user interface. The access to the vehiclesite, may be granted by supplying credentials for accessing a useraccount, or establishing a new user account. The vehicle sites may, inone embodiment, include cloud processing to enable access to featuresprovided by the website including features provided by other servicesand software accessible over the Internet.

In operation 404, the method provides controls to enable user input toselect systems and placement of control interfaces on-screen views orpages of screen displays. The screen displays can have variousconfigurations, placements, sizes, number of pages, tabs, etc., and theuser can provide controls for some or all of the interfaces and controlsin certain locations. In operation 406, selection can be enabled forthird-party applications. The third-party applications can be selectedfrom the vehicle site, or by providing links to third-party sites. Thethird-party applications can be pre-identified by the site and displayedto the user if they are compatible with the particular vehicle selected.In another embodiment, the third-party applications can all be shown tothe user whether or not they are compatible with the vehicle. Uponbinding/pairing or attempting to find application for the vehicle,compliance as to whether the applications operate or comply with theparticular vehicle can be made.

As mentioned in this disclosure, certain third-party applications can bereviewed by the vehicle site administrators before they are madeavailable to users for selection. In other embodiments, the third-partyapplications can be approved or disapproved. In still other embodiments,the third-party applications can be augmented with restrictions made bythe vehicle manufacturer, or dictated by law. The restrictions can beapplied, based on the anticipated interfacing with the vehicleinterfaces, to ensure safety during driving. For instance, if aparticular application requires entry of text, navigation of controls,or other activities that would distract the driver during operation ofthe vehicle, such vehicle controls or application controls forapplication interfaces can be temporarily disabled. In some embodiments,when the vehicle has come to a stop or is place to park, certaincontrols or interfaces can be re-enabled. In operation 408, the toolsprovided by the vehicle site or third-party site can provide forcustomization of the layout of the display screens of the userinterface.

The customization can include organizing or laying out system interfacesas well as application interfaces, such as those interfaces provided by3rd parties. In operation 410, interface rules are applied to determineif the system interfaces can be replaced with third-party applicationinterfaces, while providing access to the control interfaces via theAPIs of the systems. For example, if the user wants to provide a customspeed indicator, the speed indicator should be compliant (via APIsand/or mapping) with the system interfaces so that the speed readingscan be populated to the third-party application. In operation 412, rulescan be integrated with or applied to the applications and system userinterfaces for when the vehicle is moving. As mentioned above, suchrules can limit interactivity with certain user interfaces while thevehicle is moving to prevent unsafe driving. In operation 414, thecustom user interface is saved to the user profile.

The user profile may contain settings, such as selections of the userinterface components associated with the system of the vehicle, as wellas user interface is provided by third-party applications. In addition,the user profile can contain and store settings provided by the user.The settings provided by the user, as mentioned is this disclosure canalso be learned settings based on use. The settings can further includeremote access settings, as well as settings allow the user to controlvehicle components from a remote location or a remote computer. Thesetting can also include providing access to the user account to viewhistorical driving patterns, recent driving activities, the performanceof the vehicle during specific driving sessions, the performance ofspecific vehicle components, etc.

In operation 416, the custom user interface configuration can then betransferred to the vehicle. The custom configuration, as mentioned aboveis stored in the database of the vehicle manufacturer, or a databaseheld by a 3rd party that cooperates with the vehicle manufacturer toprovide cloud services. The database, in one embodiment, is a networkaccessible storage which allows access to the user to program and modifythe user interface using any computer or device having access to theInternet, including the vehicle itself or a third-party vehicle. Themethod then proceeds to operation 418 where the custom user interfacecan be activated in managed for Internet connectivity for components ofthe custom interface. For example, the vehicle's Internet accessprotocols can be set, or registered with an Internet provider or serviceprovider for the cloud services. The service provider for the cloudservices can be the vehicle manufacturer, a company cooperating with thevehicle manufacturer, a third-party company, or combinations thereof.

In operation 420, the method can also enable local communication withmobile devices that may be in the vehicle. The enablement may beprovided by allowing synchronization with the computing system of thevehicle, or with the computing communications of the portable device.For example, the local communication can be paired automatically, basedon a preset pairing process where pairing keys are entered. Thisprovides for automatic settings and synchronization when the user entersthe vehicle with the portal device. As mentioned above, user interfacesassociated with applications loaded on the user's portal device can alsosynchronize to the display screens of the vehicle, as predefined by theuser.

FIG. 15 illustrates another example, where a user 121 uses a portabledevice to access the user profile. The user profile, as mentioned above,can be managed by the cloud processing 120. The cloud processing mayinclude a user profile database 502 (and other databases not shown) thatallows the user to synchronize settings for various profiles, such asfor “my car A”, and “my car B”, or the like. In one embodiment, thecustom configuration can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle and fora period of time. The period of time can be a driving session. Thedriving session can be for a trip, a day, a week, a rental period, alease period, etc. If the new vehicle receiving the profile hasdifferent system components, a re-mapping of system components toapplications can be made. In some embodiments, alternate applicationscan be plugged in for the new vehicle which provides functionalitysimilar to the application in the earlier vehicle.

Accordingly, the disclosed methods may allow users to add variousvehicles to the user profile, including cars from different brands 520,such as Brand X and brand Y. In the illustrated example, the userprofile for the user 121 may include custom user settings, custominterface styles, custom applications, and other custom settings andlearned settings as described in this disclosure.

The users also able to select various applications from an applicationdatabase 504, which may provide a plurality of applications from vehiclemanufacturers, and the user can select applications for the vehicletypes selected. In one embodiment, certain applications can includenative vehicle functions as well as control and mapping protocols toallow the applications to interface with native system controls throughappropriate map APIs. In operation 510, the custom user interface can begenerated using cloud processing with the preferences set by the user,the applications, the native vehicle controls, and the customerarrangements. The profile that was generated can then be synchronized tothe vehicle, such as car A.

The synchronization may include downloading of the customized interfacefrom cloud services to the vehicle. In other embodiments, part or all ofthe customization created on the portable device or other computer canbe transferred to the vehicle directly, without requiring transfer fromcloud processing. In other embodiments, the synchronization or transferscan include operations performed by portable devices local to thevehicle, computing devices on the vehicle, computing devices of cloudprocessing, or combinations thereof.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of synchronizing other applications to avehicle display, which may be customized by the user. As shown, 602shows a number of data collection and data interface modules, that caninterface with third-party applications or applications executed on theInternet by cloud services or third-party cloud services. As shown, inthe case of an electric vehicle, data associated with charge unitlocation data 620 can be collected from charge unit install points 608.The charger unit install points can also be providing charging discounts606, which can then be transferred to data manager 602. Traffic data 222can also be collected, whether the vehicle is electric or nonelectric.

Charge grid load 624 data can also be collected, for example forelectric vehicle data. Charge grid load 624 can obtain data from a gridpower demand source 610, which can include power company's localutilities and the like. Route based discounts 626 can also be providedto the user, by collecting mapping data 614 as well as discountsprovided by goods and services providers in the marketplace. Mappingdata 630 can also be managed, to monitor the location of the vehicle inrelation to goods and services that may be provided when the vehicle isin proximity. In some embodiments, discount data, advertisements, sales,goods and services offers, etc., can be provided to the userautomatically based on the vehicle's location.

In other embodiments, the user can provide settings in the userinterface that identifies which type of offers or discounts orinformation the user wishes to receive. In some embodiments, alertsregarding offers and discounts can be provided to the user in an audiomanner, to avoid driving distractions. Live traffic data 616 can also beprovided to the data manager 602, as well as geo-data 612. The datamanager 602 is in communication with cloud services 120, to providethese services to computer 640, smart devices 642, remote location 644,and a display of the vehicle 162.

The display the vehicle can be interfaced with logic that runs onvehicle electronics. The vehicle of products can include memory andprocessors that execute instructions, operating systems, API processing,application management, telecommunications, network accessing, localcommunication with wireless devices, and general communication with theInternet. Route request can also be provided at the demand of the uservia the display 162, and instant routing 604 can provide routes to theuser based on data collected and managed by data manager 602.

FIG. 17 illustrates example where the user 121 holding a portable devicecan synchronize data from the portable device directly with the display162 of the vehicle. The display the vehicle can be a display on the dashof the vehicle, or any other location as mentioned in this disclosure.As mentioned herein, the vehicle electronics will be provided withcommunication with cloud services 120 provide access to the customizedisplays, customize settings, and customized services provided to theuser as a vehicle drives.

FIG. 18 describes a system in which a user interacts with a model viewcontroller software environment 1800 useful for processing APPS usingAPIs 130 on vehicles with vehicle operating systems 129 capable ofprocessing computer code. The model view controller paradigm 1800 showsbasic interaction, control, processing, and updating of data useful formanipulating and viewing resulting actions by to vehicle running an APPin such a system. Such a system useful for running APPS on vehicleoperating systems will accept inputs by a user 121, cloud services 120via data streams, vehicle systems feedback and data streams 1812 used bya controller 1804 that may constantly poll electrical, capacitive andphysical sensors, and input streams to detect if interactions 1808 suchas network passive updates, network active updates, user touch, userspeech, user input, user selection among others has been triggered.

Each input 1804 will then trigger manipulation of the system's model1802 portion of the APP software paradigm thus invoking stored routineswithin APPS 104 which then in turn interact with the vehicle's APIsystem 130 built upon the vehicle's operating system 129. Depending onthe app presented to the user 121, the input may trigger stored routinesor functions on APP software or operating system level restricted storedroutines or functions.

After the processing of stored procedure code is manipulated witharguments provided by the controller 1804 inputs, visual and or sensoryresults are presented to the user in the view 1806 portion of the modelview controller paradigm. These sensory outputs, data streams,electrical signals may all be translated as additional options, results,dynamic updating, and audio or visual graphical user interface changes1810 on any of the user's connected display devices. The user willnotice these results visually or audibly but may also feel or detectchanges in the vehicle's mechanical systems. Updates from the model 1802may also be used to toggle vehicle settings 1814 which in turn mayinvoke changes in the vehicle's physical, mechanical and electricalsystems 128.

Then, the system controller 1804 may receive additional updates from thevehicle systems affected or additional user 121; cloud services 120,vehicle systems feedback inputs 1812 to re-engage the user in a cyclicalfashion. If no inputs are sensed, the system's controller will continueto poll its electrical and data I/O systems for input on a continuousbasis.

The model view controller paradigm 1800 described is one example of thesoftware input output lifecycle that may be used to invoke, manipulate,process, update portions of computer readable code such as APPS 104using an intermediary API 130 to communicate with the vehicle'soperating system 130. However, APPS 104 may be run on physically wired,wirelessly connected or remote devices having processing abilities totranslate the computer readable code in APPS into actionable invocationson one or more vehicles in order to facilitate or utilize the vehicle'selectrical and mechanical systems in prescribed or customizablefashions.

FIG. 19A describes how vehicle on board computer with input out putsystem 1900 useful for accepting input, processing input and displayingresults in conjunction with stored computer readable programs orfunctions in the forms of APPs 104 may be structured. Although system1900 describes one way to provide vehicle on board computing power torun APPs 104, the arrangement of the vehicle computer 1906 may bealtered or arranged in differing fashions with differing connectionrouting in order to achieve the same. In this example, vehicle on boardcomputer 1906 may be comprised of components such as the networkinterface 1910, memory 1912, a central processing unit 1914, an inputoutput buffer useful for streaming data 1916, storage 1908 having theability to store computer data in long term or short term fashion usefulfor stored computer code procedures in the form of an operating system129, intermediary stored procedure code in the form of APIs 130, storedsubsets of computer code procedures APPs 104 interacting with API 130 asan intermediary to the operating system 129.

In this example, the vehicle computer 1906 has the ability to transmit,receive and process information using wired or wireless connections. Onesuch wireless connection is provided by a wireless data sending andreceiving antenna 1928 connected to a network interface 1910 useful forpairing with and communicating data with portable or stationary wirelessdevices which may or may not be part of a network 1902. Such wirelessdevices include but are not limited to wireless displays 210 b, portablesmart phones 210 a, portable computers, 210 c and even stationaryobjects, structures, buildings, toll bridges, other vehicles etc. Thevehicle's network interface 1910 through antenna 1928 may alsocommunicate with cloud services 120 to receive instructions from aremote location that invokes stored programs such as APPs 104 on thevehicle's computer.

The vehicle may also send and receive data wirelessly in order toestablish a connection with a peer-to-peer ad-hoc network. Invocationsmay result in output data streams interpreted by wireless devices 210 b,210 a, 210 c as well as wired devices such as wired displays 210 d orvehicle integrated display devices such as windshield heads up projecteddisplay or integrated glass displays 210 e. All data streams generatedby APPs 104 stored on the vehicle's computer may also be triggered bywired devices such as vehicle sensors 1918, vehicle electrical systems1920, vehicle electrical systems 1922, engine control systems 1924,vehicle diagnostics systems 1926, user input as well as environmentalinput.

A user and or vehicle may find system 1900 useful in one example, wherethe user drives the vehicle past an electronic toll bridge where a feeis required to pass the toll bridge. The vehicle's computer willcommunicate wirelessly as it passes the stationary structuretransmitting and receiving information with it as it drives by. Theuser's vehicle may have an APP 104 installed on the vehicle computer1906 that can process the input using the computer's wireless antenna1928, network interface 1910, input output system, 1916 automaticallyresponding to the toll bridge with payment information. Once the paymentis received and processed, the APP 104 receives information from thestationary wireless toll taking device which is then stored eitherlocally on the vehicle's storage 1908 or remotely using cloud services120. The results of the transaction are then sent via data stream fromthe compute code running on the APP 104 to a display device(s) where theuser can visually confirm that the toll was paid, accepted and show theuser's remaining balance all through the GUI displayed for APP 104.

FIG. 19B describes one example of how stored data and functiondeclarations may be compiled to provide intermediary access to avehicle's computer controlling vehicle systems 1950. Such routines, dataand functions may be arranged in such a way that limited access is givento third party code on APPs 104 to manipulate certain unrestrictedoperating system functions and vehicle systems. Such a method ofproviding the intermediary allowed stored function set to third partycode can be referred to as an API 130.

In this example of an API 130, computer readable code is arranged insuch a fashion that the type of API is described and in this case, anAPI that allows third party control of the vehicle's HAVC system isdeclared. A declaration may be useful for reserving the vehicle'scomputer long term and short-term memory in order to run storedprocedures. The shown declaration 1954 describes an example set of datathat may reference memory locations and their contents. The contents ofthis memory location may be modified by stored procedures 1956 orfunctions.

This HVAC API 130 has the ability to store data relating to thevehicle's temperature, status, target temperature, split zone temperate,data from electrical and mechanical sensors, calendar dates, errorinformation among others. Invocable functions 1956 are the methods bywhich a third party APP 104 may manipulate data 1954 on board acomputer. Free access is not given to the restricted data on a vehicle'scomputer, thus a structured method or methods are described for user bythird party APP developers. These functions 1956 that may or may nottake arguments in order to execute may include functions in the exampleHVAC API that update temperatures for both the left and right or givenzones of the vehicle, toggle are conditioning, allow visual skins on theAPP GUI, manipulate schedules and displays etc. The HVAC API 130described is one example of how one API can control one vehicle system.There may be variations of the APIs for multiple vehicle systems or onesuperset API that allows access to all of the vehicle's systems throughstored procedures or methods.

FIG. 19C describes a set of computer readable and executable code 1970that can be compiled together by a third party APP 104 developer in theform of an APP. The APP 104 uses structured programming languages toexecute stored functions allowed by the vehicle's system API 130. Inthis example, the APP is a third party HVAC app that allows a GUI to bedisplayed to a user giving them the option to adjust the temperature onthe left or right side of the vehicle up or down. In this case, theAPP's GUI has provided a data stream to the APP letting it know that theuser has selected to set the temperature on the left side of the vehicleto 80 degrees and the right side of the vehicle to 76 degrees. The APP104 will then use functions available from the vehicle's API 130 tomanipulate the data on the vehicle's storage system which in turn willbe electrically polled by sensors, data streams etc. to manipulate thevehicle's electrical and mechanical HVAC systems. The user will noticethe result visually by the data provided by the APP to the GUI as wellas environmentally as the temperature is changed in the vehicle.

FIG. 20 describes the stepped flow of events 2000 as a user interactswith an APP 104, in this case, an HVAC APP 104. The GUI shown for APP104 describes the first step 2002 where a user physically interacts witha sensor, screen, voice system etc. polling to see if an input has beenreceived. The user's input in 2002 has been interpreted by the app toraise the temperature on the left hand side of the vehicle to 80 degreesand maintain the temperature on the right hand side of the vehicle at 76degrees. This input invokes step 2004, which calls a stored function onthe APP 104 that is API 130 allowable with arguments.

The stored function may invoke other helper or associate functionswithin the API 130 in step 2006, which all in term invokes restrictedcomputer readable code at the operating system and or kernel level instep 2008. These invocations will then in turn command mechanical and orelectrical systems in step 2005 in order to achieve the requestedresponse in step 2002. The results of the commands on the vehiclessystems are based back to the vehicle's operating system or kernel levelin step 2012 which then updates data on the API 130 in step 2014 thatthe APP 104 is polling, such as updating the display to show theresulting temperature in step 2016. The results of a function that isinvoked at the API 130 level updating the display produces a data streamtranslatable and displayable by the vehicle's screen showing the APP104's GUI in 2018.

FIG. 21 describes further example ways an APP 104 may take, process andproduce results 2100. FIG. 20 shows a way to interact with an APP 104locally but a vehicle computer system may relay data, inputs andinformation to the APP while connected to a wide area network, localarea network, cloud process 120 or private cloud. A remote action toinvoke change on an APP 1808 may be initiated via a network and pass tothe APP running on the vehicle 160 using the vehicle's antenna 1928 orwired interface. An APP 104 running virtually on a network or cloudservices 120 may also take input remotely and process the resultsaccordingly.

Some of the inputs and results 2102 that an APP can take and producelocally or remotely include but are note limited to the set 2104 thatcan receive an action, react to an action, control an action, manipulatedata models, report changes to a view or GUI, record events orincidents, learn the types of requests being submitted, learn the timesof request being submitted over time, learn the days of the year therequests are being submitted over time, generalize and interpretrequests, assume user intent in order to automatically invoke changes,automatically and pre-emptively act on behalf of a user, fine tunelearned user behavior etc.

The learned behavior (e.g., learned settings that provide for automaticprogramming) can be assigned to particular applications, particularsub-features of applications, to particular native system features ofthe vehicle, or combination of one or more thereof. The learned settingscan also be managed via an interface, which shows to the user settingsthat have been learned and provides the user with options to modifylearned settings. The modifications of the learned settings can be madevia the vehicle display or any other device having access to cloudservices. The learned settings can also be communicated to the user vianotifications. Such as, “We noticed you like your truck temperature at 3pm to be 60 degrees? Please confirm,” or “We noticed you like your cartemperature at 8 am to be 75 degrees, this will be preset for youautomatically,” or “We have detected your favorite settings, pleaselogin to your account to see settings we have programmed for you or makeupdates,” or other similar notifications via the vehicle or to anyconnected device over the Internet.

In other cases, notifications may not be sent. In some cases, thesettings will just occur automatically. In some cases, the settings canbe manually adjusted by the user way from the auto settings. In suchcases, the manual setting can be learned and can be provided moreweighting since the user took the time to correct an auto setting. Thus,various levels of weighting or importance can be given to learnsettings.

FIG. 22A describes an ecosystem where an APP 104 in conjunction with avehicle API 130 may work together to make assumptions, make decisionsand take actions 2200. API and APP code together can be arranged in sucha fashion that creates an assumption and reasoning logic module 2216.This Assumption and reasoning logic module can take inputs from varioussystems and data streams including but not limited to GPS 2206,calendars 2208, traffic conditions 2204, local news 2202, past data ofuser behavior and interaction 2210, vehicle diagnostics 1926, userpreferences 2214, user login profiles 506, environmental interpretationsby sensors 2212, marketing deals 2224 among others. These inputs can belocal and physical or remote and abstract via a network. The assumptionand reasoning logic module 2216 compiles data from these sources toinvoke decisions and actions on a decision and action engine 2218.

This decision and action engine 2218 has the ability to execute on whatthe assumption and reasoning logic module has determined needs to bedone. The decision and action engine has the ability to produce alerts,both local, on screen, audibly, visually or remotely on a remote displaydevice 210 a-e using a data network. The decision and action engine 2218also has the ability to change vehicle controls automatically on behalfof a user without user action based on assumptions made by theassumption and reasoning logic module 2216. Additionally, the decisionand action engine has the ability to request a decision from the userpreemptively in order to change vehicle controls.

This may be achieved locally or remotely requiring input from a user toproceed. For instance, the assumption and reasoning logic engine hasdetermined that the user may want to have his or her car automaticallystarted at 7:55 am because the user typically starts the car at 8 am.Starting the car at five minutes early will allow the system to heat thevehicle to the user's typical liking. However, the assumption andreasoning logic may have only reached a level of confidence of 75% where80% confidence is required to act without user input. Thus, the system,being only 75% sure that the car should be turned on will automaticallysend the user an alert requesting a decision on whether or not to turnthe vehicle on. Once the user 121 provides a decision remotely on theirremote device 210 a, the decision engine 2218 updates the assumptionmodule 2216 so that it can augment it's assumptions for an updated levelof confidence on the next action trigger. These actions by the userautomatically and continually update the assumption and reasoning logicmodule 2216 in order to fine tune the level of confidence on actingwithout user input and learn the user's behavior for future decisions.

FIG. 22B describes how one of many types of inputs into an assumptionand reasoning logic module 2216 can be compiled over time. Althoughinputs can come from many sources, this particular example focuses oninput into the assumption and reasoning logic module 2216 from past dataoriginating and triggered by user behavior in order for module 2216 tolearn. Past actions 2210 are logged into a database either locally onthe vehicle computer or remotely which are fed into to module 2216. Inthis example, data about when the user's actions are stored, along withunique identifiers that will allow assumptions to be made in the future.These identifiers include times, dates, rates, capacities, temperatures,frequency, degrees, distance, etc. In this example, the system has beenkeeping track of when the user has been starting his or her engine inthe morning on weekday sand weekends. The system harvests all datapoints associated with given events. These data points 2210 are purelymined data points and no assumptions or reasoning occurs at this point.This data will be used by the assumption and reasoning logic 2216 todetermine future actions.

FIG. 22C describes one example of what an assumption and reasoning logicmodule 2216 may produce using the data points collected on an ongoingbasis in FIG. 22B. Over time, using inputs that are continuallyharvested by a user's action, assumptions are made and refined to aid inmaking decisions for a user in advance or behalf. Module 2216 has takenthe inputs provided by 2210 past data and behavior to determine thatbefore a decision can be made, the user's local or network-storedcalendar should be polled to determine how the user's schedule mightimpact the system's pending actions. For instance, if the system haddetermined that the user typically starts his vehicle at 8 am but theuser's calendar shows a meeting at 730 am located at a location thatdoes not match the current location, the vehicle may assume that the carshould be started at 725. They system will determine its level ofconfidence of the decision and may poll the user for a decision.

The system, by using prior data points has stored assumptions based onconditions, the day it is, the temperature of the environment andhistorical events, that the user will most likely start the vehicle'sengine between 803 am and 805 am, and if the temperature is in the 30sinside the vehicle, the user will most likely set the interiortemperature to between 70 and 80 degrees, it is not likely that the userwill use the are conditioning unit, if there is ice on the windshield,the user will most likely defrost the windshield for 7 minutes beforedeparture, the user usually drives between 15 and 18 miles at this timeof day, the user typically starts the vehicle again in the afternoonbetween 505 pm and 510 pm, if the temperature is in the mid 70s, theuser usually activates the AC and sets the temperature to 65 degrees,typical weekend behavior, the user typically makes frequents stops, doesnot have a set time the vehicle is started, uses certain APPs at certaintimes and has a history of certain destinations as recorded by GPS.

FIG. 22D describes an example list of decision the decision and actionengine 2218 may take based on information provided by the assumption andreasoning logic module 2216 and sets of assumptions created. Thedecision and action engine 2218 will attempt, using a degree ofconfidence to anticipate what the user will want to do in terms ofengine start and stop, location destinations, preferences oftemperature, driving habits and poll vehicle capacities to ensure theintended path the user usually takes is attainable. For example, theuser usually drives a distance in the morning at a certain time,however, the vehicle's fuel supply will not allow for that distance tobe traveled. Thus, the decision and action engine polls the user as areminder that the user should begin their intended travel sooner thanusual to allow for refueling time.

FIG. 23 illustrates an example of user interfaces and interaction modesprovided on or for various displays of a vehicle, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. In this example, the vehicle isshown communicating with cloud services 120, utilizing the vehiclecomputer. As described above, the vehicle computer can includecommunication circuitry to enable wireless communication with theInternet and servers that can provide cloud services 120. In thisillustration, the user interfaces or displays of the vehicle are shownwith graphically rendered gauges, information, and data that may berelevant to the user of the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the user the vehicle may log into the vehicle or bepaired to the vehicle automatically so that a user account of the userprovides the preferences of the user for displaying select informationand communicating with cloud services 120. Cloud services 120 cancommunicate with other Internet data sources, and cloud applications ofthe user, such as calendars, appointment books, reservations, websites,merchants, mapping applications, discount providing applications, chargelocation services, payment services, parking services, vehicle avoidanceservices, etc.

Continuing with the example of FIG. 23, the user interface provided inthe main dashboard in front of the steering wheel has been rendered forthe user account of the user in accordance with the user's interactionmode selection. As will be described below, the interaction modeselection will allow the user to either custom configure or select fromcustom configurations the type of information that would be rendered onthe displays of the vehicle or provided via audio output of the vehicle.In this example, the interaction mode for the user account is one thathas been selected to reduce the amount of clutter provided in the maindashboard interface.

As used herein, dashboard clutter or display clutter refers to when toomany gauges, icons, information, GUIs, meters, text, pop-ups, colors,designs, animations, etc., are rendered on the displays, and which maycause distraction while the user is driving. Reducing the amount ofclutter is a feature for vehicles that provide interactive displays thatcan populate so much information that a driver may become distracted. Inone implementation, the level of information that may cause distractionwill vary, as this is a subjective metric that is personal to eachuser/driver. In some embodiments, the amount of information provided tothe displays can be dynamically changed based on the condition of thedriving or non-driving of the vehicle. For instance, if the vehicle isnot being driven, more information can be rendered on the displays forthe user.

If the vehicle is parked or at a stop sign or stop light, moreinformation may be rendered on the displays. When the vehicle isoperationally moving, less information would be rendered on the displaysso that clutter can be reduced. In one embodiment, more or lessinformation or icons or gauges may be displayed or shown on the displaysin a fade in and fade out fashion, so that the instant appearance ofgauges will not be distracting sight for the driver. In one embodiment,when reduce clutter displays are provided, basic gauges for operatingthe vehicle or required by law will be required to stay viewable in thedisplays while the vehicle is being driven or is in operation. Forexample, a speedometer gauge is required or is vital to the driving ofthe vehicle, and therefore such gauges would not be removed or not shownwhen reduce clutter displays are selected. It should be understood thatreduced clutter is subjective, and the interaction modes provide fordifferent types of modes and modes that can be customized or customizedover time, such that the level of information is not distracting to theparticular user, from a personal and subjective view point.

In one embodiment, the information that is provided on the displays canbe dynamically set based on the context of the vehicle's state, theuser's calendars, the weather, and other factors. In one example, thefuel gauge shown in the main dashboard display of the vehicle in FIG. 23is shown to include a fuel gauge. The fuel gauge in this example isshown to have appeared on the dashboard display because the vehicle'sstate is that the fuel is low and requires refueling. In one embodiment,the vehicle computer can be communicating with cloud services 120, whichwill automatically identify information regarding available fuelingstations nearby.

For example, one of the displays of the vehicle shown in FIG. 23illustrates that contextual information can be provided as arecommendation, which identifies that a gas station is within 0.25 milesof the current location of the vehicle. In addition, a mapping serviceor map program of the vehicle can be automatically displayed on one ofthe displays of the vehicle showing the location of the gas station(e.g., Ted's Gas). Accordingly, the information being displayed on thevehicle is contextually related to the state of the vehicle, thelocation of the vehicle, and applications are automatically loaded andprovided for generating information relevant to the vehicle and itsstate.

FIG. 24A of displays of a vehicle, which are cost to interactively showdisplay items based on the context of the vehicle and the context of theuser and preferences of the user. In one embodiment, the preferences ofthe user can be learned over time by examining use patterns of the user,which are signals indicating actual preferences by the user. In otherembodiments, the patterns of use, interaction, preferences, inputs,memberships in loyalty programs, shopping history, prior use ofdiscounts, and other information can be used to identify what type ofcontextually related information should be displayed to the user aced onthe current state of the vehicle and the current state of the user andthe geo-location of the vehicle.

In this example, the type of information that is surfaced to displays ofthe vehicle can depend on the context of information associated with theuser, who is logged into the vehicle by way of a user account that isconnectable to cloud services 120. In this example, certain informationcan be examined to determine what type of contextual recommendation canbe provided to the user, and what type of contextual information can beprovided based on learned behavior of the user, which provides aprediction or likelihood of the type of information that may be mostrelevant to the user in the particular context. In one embodiment, aserver may determine what data to send to the vehicle, and when sent,the data can be presented on a screen or audio output of the vehicle.

In one implementation, the data sent can include a time threshold thatidentifies (e.g., identifier or tag or data) when the data can bepresented or when the data may no longer be presented. The timethreshold can be in the form of data, a tag, a marker, an identifier,flag, or the like, which identifies when the data should no longer bepresented (e.g., data may become of context and thus no longercontextually relevant). For example, the data may be relevant for aparticular time, window of time, or period of time. If the period oftime has passed, the data can be considered stale, such that the data isno longer allowed to be shown, even if the vehicle received the data.For example, the data may be sent to the vehicle when the user isactively using some display or input, and the use of the display orinput may prevent the sent data from being presented. In this example,the data is held (in memory) until the user has completed the input (oruse of the vehicle, or personal device that may be active (e.g., phone,tablet, directions device, etc.)) to avoid interruption.

Once the interaction has been completed, vehicle software and/orelectronics can determine that the data received is no longer valid,stale or no longer relevant to the current geo-location, personalpreferences, vehicle condition, or some other factor. In oneimplementation, therefore, data that is sent to the vehicle forpresentation or surfacing may not be presented, if other localconditions, user conditions, and/or geographical conditions determinethat the data is stale or no longer useful. Thus, gating the data frompresentation, even after receipt by the vehicle, enables forpresentation of possibly un-needed data to the user, thus reducingdistractions.

In another example, contextual information that may be viewed mayinclude them on a fuel that remains in the vehicle at the particulartime (which is a state of the vehicle, among many different types ofstates of the vehicle), the day of the week, whether the day of the weekof the holiday, information from the personal calendar, historicaltravel times during the time of day, the time of day, loyalty cards thatthe user may hold or like, traffic information associated to the currentgeo-location of the vehicle, the current weather, learned past behavior(when the user likes to stop for coffee), nearby coffee shops (coffeeshops being a learned type of good liked by the user), discounts locatednearby, discounts located nearby other services that are needed at aparticular point in time, and other factors.

These contextual types of information associated with the user, thevehicle, the number of passengers in the vehicle at the time, the user'scalendar, the users likes, the users past interactions, the predictionsof what the user wishes to see or may want, etc. are only but a fewexamples, and are shown without limitation.

Continuing with the example of FIG. 24A, based on the contextualinformation obtained by the vehicle computer from cloud services 120 andfrom information stored in the vehicle computer or obtained from acomputing device of the user, determinations can be made as to the typeof contextual recommendation that may be surfaced to a display screen ofthe vehicle.

It should be understood that surfacing too much information can causedistraction while driving, so therefore contextually relevantinformation that is predicted to be needed or wanted at a particularpoint in time should be displayed as a contextual recommendation. It isbelieved that the information that is automatically being contextuallyprovided to the user on the displays is information that would have beensearched for by the driver.

Thus, by providing the intelligence surfacing of contextual informationto displays and or audio outputs of the vehicle, less distraction willoccur because the driver will not need to interact with user interfaces,but instead the information will be provided to the driver just as thedriver will need the information. For example, the drivers beingprovided with information to the closest Chevron station which is 0.45miles away from the current location, a map to the Chevron station isshown, and a coffee coupon is also shown on the display.

The coffee coupon is provided to the user because the coffee shop islocated near the Chevron, and the user typically purchases coffee duringthis particular point in time and the coffee shop is next to the Chevronwhere the user will likely wish to purchase gas based on his ownershipof loyalty cards for Chevron. As such, this information has beenprovided to the user at time when the user would want or need theinformation, which cuts down in screen clutter and also reducesdistracted driving.

FIG. 24B illustrates yet another embodiment of contextual surfacing ofinformation to one or more display screens of a vehicle or surfacing ofaudio to the vehicle. In one embodiment, the user prefers to have a lowclutter screen, wherein the display panel in the dash has few items,such as vital gauges needed for driving the vehicle. In one example, ata minimum, a speed gauge is provided. As the driver drives around, fromtime to time, depending on the context or state of the vehicle, certaingauges may be surfaced to a display.

As shown, an RPM (revolutions per minute) gauge may surface gradually onthe main dashboard display when it is determined that the vehicle's RPMsare too high. The gradual surfacing, in one embodiment, allows forreduced distraction of the driver. This is because fast surfacing ofgauges or icons on the display screen may distract the driver to lookdown and away from the road. However, when the gauges are surfaced in afade in from light gray to full color or contrast, the driver willnotice the newly surfaced information gauge when the driver next looksdown at the gauge.

In the example of FIG. 24B, it is also shown that the contextualinformation regarding the user, the vehicle, the geo-location of thevehicle, the time of day, the day of the week, and information found inthe user's online calendars and to-do lists can be mined to providecontextual recommendations. As shown, as the vehicle is communicatingwith cloud services 120, contextual information can be provided to thevehicle display(s). The contextual information, at the particular timeof day and when the user is driving or activating the vehicle, isprovided when the user is likely going to need the information.

For instance, the current to-do list shows that the user needs a hammer(and other things), and because the user is near a store that sellshammers, that information can be provided to the user. The informationis provided or surfaced to the user by presenting it on a display, aftercloud processing determines that other contextual parameters suggestthat the user would be interested in a particular good or service, e.g.,in this example a hammer, at that particular time of day and day andparticular geo-location. In addition, learning systems also candetermine that the user usually likes discounts, so special discountscan be automatically searched for from various online and off-lineretailers, and the discount or coupon can be surfaced to the vehicledisplay at the time the contextual information is provided to the user.

As shown, in addition to presenting the distance to the user, providinga map to the store location, the discount is presented on the display.The discount can be provided for use by the user in various ways. Insome examples, the discount can be automatically sent to user's device(e.g., smartphone, tablet, watch, etc.). The discount can be in the formof a digital coupon, a code, a link, or some other identifiable form. Instill another example, the coupon can be provided to the user when theuser selects it on one of the displays of the vehicle. The coupon canthen be transferred to the user's device, or can be sent to the retailer(with the user's account info), so when the user arrives at the storethe coupon is automatically credited, or can be sent from the serverdirectly to the user's device.

FIG. 25 shows another example of intelligent gathering of contextualinformation for the user and surfacing just the information that isdetermined to be useful to the user, in accordance with one embodiment.In this example, the vehicle is an electric vehicle (EV) that requirescharging from time to time. The system is also configured to connectwith the user's accounts (e.g., for a user that is registered, has auser account and is actively using his or her account when occupying ordriving the vehicle). As in other examples, the main dash of the vehiclehas a screen that is configured to render icons, gauges, displays, data,and other vehicle information. In one interface mode, low clutter isselected.

The low clutter selection (e.g., selectable as an interaction mode) isconfigured to present very few icons or gauges, such as those that maybe required for vehicle operation. In the illustrated drawing, the maingauge that is shown is the speed gauge and an optional digital read outof the speed. As the user drives around or uses the vehicle, it turnsout that the user's calendar determines that an appointment call needsto be made. This determination can be made by reference to the user'sonline calendar or calendar on a device that is shared with the vehicle.The appointment to call is, for example, “Call Ted.”

At the time the appointment time arrived, the user was listening tomusic, but if the vehicle computer/server determines that the callshould be suggested, the vehicle display can change to show “Calling . .. Ted.” Also or alternatively, the main dash of the vehicle can show anicon that is surfaced gradually to the display, which may be anindicator of an audio-interface. The audio interface can, for example,as the user if he wishes to call Ted, and the user can simply answer byvoice input. The voice input can then trigger the activation of the callfor the user. Still further, other parameters, in addition to thecalendar can be analyzed to determine that the context is appropriatefor surfacing the question to the user.

The analysis can include, for instance, processing the informationassociated with the current context of the user, the vehicle, thecurrent time of day/week, historical data, weather, discounts, servicedata, etc. Over time, based on the selections, choices of interfacing,what was selected and when, what was selected when the vehicle wasparticular geo-locations, what was selected and how many people were inthe vehicle with the user, selections or preferences made by passengersof the vehicle, and other data. This data is mined to find overlappingintersections in data and to apply rules and assumptions that formlearned data and patterns. This learned data and patterns are used tobuild a learning database that can grow to include richer data overtime, and can assist in providing intelligent contextual data fordisplay on the displays of the vehicle or for audio output to thevehicle.

It is believed that by providing users with information they need, theywill spend less time making raw user interface selections (e.g.,requiring one or more inputs, taps, touches, swipes, navigations,launching of apps, selection menus, inputs, etc.), which may increasedistraction. In one specific example, data from a user's online datasources can be mined to provide information the user needs andcontextually when needed.

For instance, if the user's email shows that the user has booked airlinetickets and the time of departure is within 2 hours, the user may beprovided with a map to the airport, may be provided with online checkinginterfaces for voice entry, may provide rental car check-in or returninformation, etc. Thus, based on the context of what the user is doing,what the user has planned, when the user has done in the past (e.g.,learning), certain information can be surfaced for consumption by theuser. The result is less distracted driving, and efficient usage of theuser's time.

In one embodiment, information/data that is sent to the vehicle, from aserver, has a higher likelihood of being consumed or used when it isexamined for context. As used herein, the information is likely to beaccessed, consumed, viewed, read, listened to, and otherwise used, whenthe information is sent upon confirming context of one or moredimensions (e.g., geo-location, vehicle state, user history, learnedpreferences, current interaction, etc.). In one embodiment, data that issent, but not yet presented, may lose context, and that data may be comestale. In such cases, data may not be presented by the vehicle, evenafter safe receipt by the vehicle electronics. Thus, context can bechecked at the vehicle as well, and/or the data can be received withidentifier data that identifies or tags when such data sent is or may nolonger be valid. Thus, in one embodiment, the vehicle may simply filteror cull out information (e.g., supplemental content) that may no longerbe valid, based on the received identifier or tag, e.g., such as thetime frame of when the data was valid has passed, or the vehicle is nolonger close to a particular merchant, or the like.

FIG. 26A-26C illustrate several embodiments, where a user has selectedan interaction mode that reduces clutter. The reduced clutter display isshown in FIG. 26A, where nearly all display items are clean or notshown. The display can be provided with wallpaper or skins that reducedistraction or can be turned black or a different color that allows forthe screens to blend-in to the look and feel of the dashboard. Forexample, if the surround parts of the screen appear to be leather orsteel, the image on the screen can simulate an extension of the physicalnature of the dash or vehicle parts. In this case, the cloud services120 may still be monitoring information to determine what to surface tothe display screens.

In one embodiment, traffic data is obtained when the system determinesthat the user would likely be checking traffic information. This may betriggered when, for example, the user appears to be taking longer todrive home after work than normal, or the driver is driving slower thana current speed limit of a road, or a traffic accident is identifiedahead, or based on learned use (e.g., the user typically checks trafficat 5 pm on a workday, etc.).

In FIG. 26B, the displays are shown to be populated with informationobtained by cloud services (or obtained by the vehicle, or obtained by adevice of the user in the vehicle, or combinations of two or morethereof). The system may alert the user that an accident is up ahead.The user, based on account information (e.g., history of user,propensity, or likelihood), may usually select to re-route, so thesystem automatically provides a re-route in the map on the display. Inone embodiment, data for information associated with the geo-location issent to the vehicle when the profile of the user identifies likelihoodfor consumption of the information associated with the geo-location. Anexample may be, without limitation, a user drives by a Chevron gasstation, but the user prefers Teds Gas, so the user will not stop, eventhough the vehicle needs gas and the user is proximate to Chevron. Theuser would be viewed to not have a likelihood to consume informationregarding the nearby Chevron.

If the user's shows that the user does not have appointments or does noturgently need to arrive at the destination, the system may not provide are-route option if the extra distance is more than the user likes todrive. Other contextual information can be mined, including a learnedprofile of the user, which shows what the user likes, does, prefers, hasdone over time as a pattern, etc.

FIG. 26C illustrates example where the user's EV is running low oncharge. The system may surface this information the main dash display(e.g., either gradually, instantly or in a gray-tone or some specialidentifying color. The speedometer may also be slowly shifted (or slide)to the left, as the more relevant information that is surfaced is placednear the center of the main dash display. In one embodiment, the centerdash is considered one of the least distracting locations for driver toview.

Alternatively, the information can be displayed in a heads-up display onthe windshield of the vehicle (e.g., as overlaid or non-overlaid text oricons or graphics, videos, or combinations), which reduce distraction ofthe driver. Continuing with FIG. 26C, other displays also showcontextually relevant information, such as the range remaining for theEV, coupons for coffee near the charge locations, the price of charge,the option to buy ahead of arriving, buying to reserve the EV chargingspot, etc. As noted above, the contextual information is processed byparsing data obtained over the internet, data obtained from the user'shistory profile, data obtained from learned preferences or habits. Insome embodiments, the history profile can itself include learnedpreferences of the user, by way of the user's account.

FIG. 27 illustrates an example of a screen that may be presented in thevehicle or a computing device or on some graphical user interface (GUI),in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In thisexample, the type of information presented may be to allow a user toselect an interaction mode to be used for the vehicle. The interactionmode is used to identify the type of interactivity, complexity of datapresented on the displays of the vehicle, types of data that can be ordesire to be sent to the vehicle for consumption by a user, andpreferences that would be liked by particular types of people.

Because people vary in preferences widely, the example of providingdifferent types of interaction modes for particular vehicle willsimplify selection by users so that the interaction mode best fits theirdesired use or intended use of the vehicle. Some people are moretechnology savvy while others wish to avoid technology altogether or ata reduced consumption rate. In the example shown, various modes can beprovided. Although five modes are provided as an example, more or lessmodes can be provided depending on the design or implementation.

The example modes include an intelligent mode, a simple mode, a seniormode, and informed modes, an auto mode, etc. These modes identify thetype of interactivity or the weighted the user wishes to identifyinteraction with his or her vehicle. As noted herein, the modes can beassigned to the vehicle for when the user is present in the vehicle, andneed not be tied to the specific vehicle. For example, if a user accounthas identified the type of mode they wish that operate one or morevehicles, that mode can be transferred to a specific vehicle for aperiod of time. For instance, a user may wish to operate a sharedvehicle and the mode in the users account can be transferred to theshared vehicle.

The user may wish to transfer the interaction mode to a rental car. Theuser may wish to transfer the interaction mode or activate theinteraction mode on a personal vehicle when that particular user is thedriver. In other embodiments, a vehicle can transfer between oneinteraction mode or another interaction mode based on user input. Insome embodiments, the user may choose to utilize a wizard, which willallow the user to his or her type of descriptive behaviors liked ordisliked when operating a vehicle.

These behaviors are descriptive, and need not be specific to an actualsetting. Once the descriptive behaviors are selected by a user, thewizard can identify a specific type of interaction mode which will thenapply a plurality of settings for the interaction mode.

FIG. 28A illustrates one example of settings for an intelligent mode. Inthis illustration, the mode can allow user to dynamically adjust certainfeatures of the mode. Certain features can include distraction filteringsensitivities and when urgent messages should be delivered to a vehicledisplay or output by a speaker. Even though the user has selectedintelligent mode, the user may wish to show less icons on the displaysto reduce the distraction, and reduce clutter.

In other embodiments, the user may wish to receive messages lessfrequently, so that less distraction is occurring yet the user isreceiving messages using intelligent mode. Furthermore, the user canselect to learn the user's behavior over time as an express setting. Theuser can also select to expressly limit learning by the system of theuser's behavior, and relied on the settings provided by the mode.

FIG. 28B illustrates an example of a simple mode, which may be selectedby the user. In this example, simple mode may allow user to further finetune the number of items to be shown on the screen, which may reduce theintensity of information items to show. The user may select the drag ormove the slider on the screen or other selection input methods, whichare included herein without limitation to the example shown in thedrawings. The setting may also allow the user to select a cluttersetting.

The clutter setting may allow the user to reduce the clutter provided tothe displays of the vehicle. For instance, the display may be made moresimple, the display may include fewer graphic, the display may include asimple background, the displays may include image/icons to simulateanalog dials as opposed to digital readouts, or the like. Further, thesimple mode can also allow user to customize the types of skins providedto the displays and provide previews of the skins. The skins areessentially graphics that are provided to the display screen, which caninclude a theme, colors, text, text format, GUI formats, gauge formats,etc.

FIG. 28C illustrates an example of a senior mode setting. In thisexample, the senior mode may allow for the font size of different iconsor text to be increased, so that vision impaired or vision reduceddrivers can more quickly identify the gauges, the content provided bythe gauges, the text readouts, the graphics, and the like on thedisplays of the vehicle. In addition, the senior mode can also beconfigured to simplify the gauge views and user interfaces of thevehicle to resemble a simplified vehicle interface panel or dashboard.

Continuing with the example, the settings can also allow for audiooutput, audio instructions, and voice communication to be adjusted sothat the pace of speech and volume can be amplified. For example, asetting can be provided to make the vehicle speech, commands, andinterface voice input to be slower and louder. The menus can also besimplified to be very simple or simply simple. Thus, menus that do notrequire output for user to operate a vehicle may not be displayed in thesenior mode, yet basic operational displays of the vehicle can bedisplayed or provided under this senior mode. Still further, otherselections can include provide very basic skins, normal skins, advancedsenior skins, etc. Previews of the selected skins can also be provided,before implementation.

FIG. 28D illustrates an example of informed mode. In this example, thestyle and intensity can be customized to provide extra information, suchas notifications to the various displays, recommendations, suggestions,etc. Once the informality selected, the user can also adjust thesettings to provide a more social or less social interactivity orsuggestions provided to the various screens. In some embodiments, someof the settings provided in informed mode can be reduced, or held untilthe vehicle is no longer moving or is in park to prevent distraction.

In informed mode, the user can also identify the type of informationreceived from the Internet and the timing associated with gettingstreamed data. The stream data can also include mapping data,suggestions data, parking data, navigation data, traffic data, weatherdata, etc. Settings can also be set to adjust the menus so as to providemore than settings, more digital displays, more icons, or gauges, etc.In this setting, the different skins can also be selected such as asocial skin, a techie skin, or more customized skins. In furtherembodiments, learning can be used to adjust the various settings overtime once the particular mode has been selected.

FIG. 28E illustrates an example of an automatic mode (auto mode). Inthis example, the user may select to identify the interaction modeautomatically based on one or more settings. In one embodiment, the usermay select to set the interaction modes to the most commonly used modeselected by one of the user's peers (demographic or social networkfriends and peers). In another embodiment, the user may select a fullauto mode, which would allow the computer to decide the interaction modebased on the user's interactive use of the vehicle. In still anotherembodiment, the user may select to allow the interaction mode to besuggested based on the profile, the age, the behavior, the gender, thecircumstances, the external environment, and then send the configurationto the vehicle.

These settings can also be previewed so that the user can see what thesettings look like. In one embodiment, the settings will change overtime based on the interaction and the learning. Still further, certainskins can be provided that are location relevant, time relevant, profilerelevant, etc. Again, the skins can define the user interface look andfeel, the gauges, the displays, the text, the colors, the theme, etc.

FIG. 29A a vehicle interaction mode wizard. In this example, the usermay be provided with a plurality of descriptive phrases or descriptionsof preferences, likes, behaviors, tendencies, or choices. Thesepreferences, in one embodiment, are not express settings of vehiclefeatures, but instead descriptions of the type of behavior the userwishes to have when operating the vehicle. As such, the user can select,and this example, all of the preferences that apply to the user. In thisillustration, once the user has selected several example descriptivephrases, which may describe the user's interaction likes or dislikes,the system will identify or determine an interaction mode.

In this particular example, the computer has determined that based onthe descriptive entries provided by the user, senior mode is the bestmode to apply. The user can then choose to apply or go back and retry toidentify a specific interaction mode or elect to modify specific modefeatures of a mode, enable learning for mode for automatic changes, etc.

FIG. 29B illustrates an example of inputs made to preferences of thevehicle interaction mode wizard. This example is similar to the examplein FIG. 29A, except that different preferences were selected by a user.These preferences have now been determined by the computer to be mostrelevant or a best fit or most likely related to an informed mode. Theuser is provided with this determination and asked whether he or shewishes to apply that mode.

FIG. 30 illustrates one example flow of operations used to providecontextually relevant information to the displays of the vehicle, forone embodiment. In this example, the information is consideredsupplemental content. The content is considered to supplement the user'sdriving experience and reduce distraction, as the supplemental contentis selected based on the circumstances of the vehicle location, theuser's preferences, the user's learned behavior, the user's calendar,the context of driving, the user's travel plans, and other factors asdescribed throughout this document and those documents incorporatedherein by reference.

In one embodiment, supplemental content can include data that isunformatted and is later formatted at presentation, data that is comeswith format data, data that is parsed out of formatted data forpresentation in different forms, data that is obtained from internetservices, such as mapping programs, calendars, news, social,appointments, cloud storage, advertising, and the like. In some cases,the supplemental content can be data that that triggers opening of awebsite or application on the vehicle display. In such cases, most ofthe data will be formatted based on the source formatting provided bythe internet service. In other embodiments, some of the data obtainedfrom the internet service can be re-formatted for display in a nativedisplay format. In some implementations, text data can be extracted frominternet services, such as text search results to for display in acustom or native format for the vehicle displays. In still otherembodiments, the display of the day on vehicle displays can take on ahybrid approach, which may depend on the type of content, application,app, interface, program, license, form factor, content type, and thelike.

In one embodiment, the supplemental information is filtered to provideeven more custom tailored select supplemental content. For instance,even though the user may need gasoline, the user may prefer another typeof gas than that immediately available. Further, even though the userprefers coffee and purchases coffee often at 8 am on a weekday, thatparticular weekday the user may be heading to a client meeting and thedriver appears to be late. Consequently, a coffee coupon or locationinformation may not be provided, as this supplemental content is notuseful to the driver and may only serve as a distraction. In theillustrated example flow of FIG. 30, operation 800 includes receivinggeo-locations of a vehicle over time, at a server configured to executecloud services.

The cloud services may be operated by one or more entities, publicentities, private entities, entities such as vehicle makers, entitiessuch as vehicle service provider entities. These entities may operationwith one or more servers. The servers can be individual servers, groupsof servers, services distributed geo-graphically for load balance orimproved quality of service (QoS), servers operated by cloud services,virtualized servers and storage, and combinations thereof. Otherexamples can include processing performed by the servers and someprocessing by the vehicle computer or devices of the user. In stillother examples, apps of the vehicle can communicate with cloud servicesusing user accounts, which provide access to the user's history andprofile.

In operation 802, the system will access the profile of the user toidentify various data, including to identify a history of use of thevehicle of the user (e.g., the vehicle that is registered to the user'sprofile). In some embodiments, no vehicle is pre-associated to the useraccount or profile, which allows for dynamic transfer of the user'saccount to any vehicle the user steps into and syncs with. Thus, whenthe user access the profile from any vehicle having access to orproviding access to cloud services, the custom services of the user canbe used on the currently driven or used vehicle.

In this manner, the vehicle is not actually associated to a user butinstead, the user's profile or account is associated to the vehicle fora period of time the vehicle is driven by the user. In one embodiment,the profile can also be used on rental cars or other vehicles that areused for short periods of time or on cars that are loaned out by othersfor use.

In operation 804, from time to time, the system generates a plurality oflearned preferences that are associated to the profile of the user. Thisassociation can occur by, for example, by examining the history of useof the vehicle (or use by the user on other vehicles). The learnedpreferences can change over time as the user's preferences change oruser input selections made change over time, and based on the particularcontextually related circumstances of when the changes or inputs weremade. Thus, the learned preferences can, in some examples, changeperiodically when enough data is collected to create and define apreference with a threshold level of certainty.

In operation 806, the system identifies supplemental content for displayon the user interface of the vehicle, for a current geographic locationand for a current time. As noted above, the supplemental content caninclude information that can be displayed on a screen of the vehicle.The information can also be output by voice and the user may interfacevia voice input or combinations of voice input and physical input (e.g.,touch a screen icon, turn a button, toggle a button, press a button,slide rolling item, shift a lever, rotate a knob, etc.).

In operation 808, the system (e.g., server) can filter the supplementalcontent to produce or leave select supplemental content for display onthe user interface of the vehicle for the user. The filtering can bedone, for example, based on the plurality of learned preferences for theuser. As noted above, the filtering is done to cull-out information thatthe user is known not to need or want, or cull out information that isnot appropriate for the time of day or week, or cull out informationthat is conflicting with the user's schedules, or cull out informationthat would conflict with the user's more preferred likes or dislikes.

Further, the culling of supplemental content can also changes over timeas the driver moves around and the geo-location changes. For example, ifthe user's favorite fueling station is nearby, at 8:15 am, and thevehicle needs fuel (but still has enough to driver another 90 miles),but the user needs to take a conference call from 8:15-8:30 am, thesystem will not surface (e.g., cull so this supplemental content is noprovided to a display or audio output) information regarding the nearbyfueling station. Instead, the vehicle will surface and notify the userof the conference call and/or show the option for another fuelingstation that is along the path or near the destination.

In another embodiment, the identification of supplemental content inoperation 806 and the filtering operation of 808 may be processedtogether in one processing operation. That is, the selection of thesupplemental content can itself include the culling for the user and theuser's profile, so as to avoid additional or secondary processing. Instill other embodiments, some users may wish to explore outside of theirprofile, and the user may select to receive 10% of the supplementalcontent outside of his or her profile. This provides a controllableamount of supplemental content that can be surfaced to the user overtime. If the user likes the supplemental content, the user's profile canbe adjusted by the learning of preferences, selections and/or inputsover time.

In operation 809, the server sends the select supplemental content tothe vehicle over a wireless network. The select supplemental content isconfigured for display on the user interface of the vehicle. The userinterface, as described above, can be any screen of a vehicle, includingscreens interfaces on buttons, toggles, dials, sliders, etc. Thedifferent screens on buttons can show different or customizedinformation depending on the mode selected.

Thus, the same knob, for instance, can provide different functions whenit is turned or touched, depending on the mode. As noted above, theuser's profile can also be augmented or controlled for display ofinformation in various formats, such as intelligent mode, simple mode(easy), senior mode, informed mode, and custom modes selected by theuser, learned over time, or recommended by the computer (let thecomputer decide option).

FIG. 31 shows a flow of one example embodiment, wherein an interactionmode is selected. In this example, operation 810 includes receiving arequest to access a user account of a user for a vehicle. The useraccount provides access to cloud services. The cloud services areaccessible via one or both of a computing device or a vehicle computer.

In operation 812, data for display of the plurality of preferencesassociated with interacting with and receiving information from userinterface systems of the vehicle is provided. In this embodiment,preferences associated with the types of display items and types ofinformation the user wishes to see or rendered on the displays/screenscan be provided. This information can be provided in the form of userinterface inputs, table selections, typed in selections, radio buttonselections, selection lists, grid data input, voice input, or any typeof input method that can be captured by a computer, or combinations oftwo or more thereof.

At this point, selections of at least two of the plurality ofpreferences can be received at the user interface in operation 814. Atleast two selections are useful to receive, so that properdeterminations of the type of interaction modes that are available tothe user can be selected. Alternatively, if the user already knows theinteraction mode he or she desires, the selection can simply be oneselection of an interaction mode, instead of selecting two or morepreferences, which are used to identify an interaction mode.

In operation 816, and interaction mode is determined for the vehicle(user account) based on the received selections. The interaction modemay define a number of information items to be displayed on a screen ofthe vehicle. Additionally, the interaction mode can identify theintensity of interactive notifications to be received at the vehicle fordisplay on the screen of the vehicle. For example, more intensity caneat equate to more information being displayed or notifications providedto the vehicle. Less intensity can be fewer notifications, orinformation provided to the one or more displays of the vehicle.

The interaction mode, in one embodiment, will define the number ofinteractions that would be provided to the user. If over time the userwishes additional notifications sent to the vehicle, the user maycustomize the interaction mode. In another embodiment, the user cansimply choose a different interaction mode which may globally change theinteraction mode and types of information items displayed and number ofinformation items displayed, as well as the intensity of interactivenotifications.

In operation 818, the configuration setting is sent to the vehicle. Theconfiguration setting used to implement the interaction mode on thevehicle is data that is sent when the user account of the user is activeon the vehicle. For example, if the user accessing a particular vehiclewishes to implement his or her interaction mode on that vehicle, theuser account of that user will identify and interaction mode, which canthen be transferred to that specific vehicle. As noted above, theinteraction mode may be customized to the user account so that theinteraction mode can be used in any number of vehicles the user wishesto operate. In other embodiments, the interaction mode is programmed toa specific vehicle, such that that vehicle holds the interaction modeprogrammed for continuous use.

In still other embodiments, the interaction mode can be used in aspecific vehicle for a period of time. The period of time can be for oruses of the vehicle, for a week, for a month, for a day, or any numberof identifiable fractions of time. Still further, the interaction modecan be automatically applied to a vehicle when a particular user isidentified/detected to be in or proximate to the vehicle.

Identification of the user in a vehicle can be by way of having the userinput his or her password or user ID into the vehicle electronics oruser interfaces or screens. In still other embodiments, identificationof the user in a vehicle can be by way of biometric identification. Thebiometric identification can be by way of voice input, voice ID, retinascan, finger print ID, gesture ID, or a combination of multiplebiometric identification methods.

FIG. 32 illustrates another flow diagram, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. In this example, method operation820 includes providing data for display of a plurality of preferencesassociated with interacting with and receiving information from userinterface systems of a vehicle. The preferences being descriptive of ohway of interacting with the vehicle, instead of express settings.

The descriptive ways of interacting with the vehicle can be by referenceto that type of information the user wishes to receive, the mood theuser is in, the familiarity that a user has with technology, the degreeof simplicity desired by a user, easy user interfaces which may beuseful to senior citizens operating a vehicle, etc. Thus, instead ofproviding a plurality of input settings, a number of questions,statements, interactive preferences, can be displayed or asked of theuser verbally so that the user can answer a sequence of questions thatcan be used to then identify an interactive mode for the vehicle.

Thus, this provides an easy way of interacting with the vehicle usingnatural language that does not require the user to expressly entersettings, navigate user interfaces, and the like, which may be tootechnologically complex or uninteresting to certain users. In operation822, and interaction mode for the vehicle is determined based on thereceived selections. The interaction mode can be one of a preset numberof modes. Each mode may define a plurality of settings to be madewithout requiring the express settings of the individual settings. Inoperation 824, the configuration settings are sent to the vehicle.

As mentioned above, sending configurations to the vehicle can be bywireless communication. The scent configurations can be set from aserver that has access to the Internet for transmitting the data to thespecific communication electronics of the vehicle, which in turn allowfor implementing the settings on the vehicle automatically or after theuser has approved the input of the settings. In one embodiment, theconfiguration settings are identified to be a best match of theinteraction mode for the vehicle, for the user, and based on thepreferences that are descriptive of the way the user wishes to interactwith the vehicle.

FIG. 33 illustrates one example of a flow diagram where in interactionmode can be selected and customized for a particular user, in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention. In one example, theparticular user is a user having an account and an associated profile.In operation 830, for a user account, a plurality of preferencesassociated with interacting with and receive information from userinterface systems of the vehicle are provided.

The preferences are descriptive of a way of interacting with thevehicle, instead of express individual settings. In operation 832, themethod includes determining and interaction mode for the vehicle basedon the received selections. The interaction mode is one of a presetnumber of modes, and each mode defines a plurality of settings to bemade without requiring express settings for each of the plurality ofsettings. In operation 834, the configuration settings are sent to thevehicle. The configuration settings are identified to be a best matchfor the interactive mode of the vehicle, for the user account. Inoperation 836 and 838, over time the user will provide input settings orselections or interactions utilizing the initial or interaction modeidentified or determined in operation 832.

In operation 836, information associated with interactions made at thevehicle over time is received. The information identifies changes madeto one or more the settings of the vehicle. In operation 838,information associated with interactions made at the vehicle over timeis received. The information identifies use of interactive itemspresented on the display of the vehicle. In operation 840, the receivedinput from operations 836 and 838, over time, are provided for learningpatterns of use of the interface items or changes for the user account.In operation 842, recommendations to change the interaction mode or anaspect of the interaction mode of the vehicle is sent to the vehicle.

Information sent to the vehicle can be provided by way of one of theuser interfaces, or audio output, text messages to a user's device,e-mail messages, messages to the user's online account, or the like. Inone embodiment, operation 844 may include receiving user inputrequesting changes to the interaction mode. The changes requested can bebased on the recommendations provided to the user. For example, therecommendation can be provided to the user suggesting that the userchange the interaction mode from a simple mode to a complex mode or anintelligent mode, or some other customized mode. In another embodiment,the change to the interaction mode can simply be an adjustment to theselected or determine interaction mode.

For instance, the initial interaction mode can remain selected, yet oneor more aspects of the interaction mode can be adjusted or changed todefine a customized interaction mode for the user account in operation846. In one embodiment, once the customization has been defined, thecustomization settings are sent to the vehicle for implementation. Inone embodiment, the changes in customization can occur on the vehicleitself and over time the customizations can be communicated to a server,which then implement the changes for the user account. In this way, theserver and the vehicle can maintain a synchronized the interaction modeand changes made over time to either the vehicle or the modes in theuser account.

FIG. 34 illustrates one example of cloud services 120, which may becollecting or interfacing with a plurality of data providers, datasources, data processors, third-party applications, third-partyservices, other applications, Internet data, or combinations thereof. Inone embodiment, the vehicle is a connected vehicle which has access tocloud services 120. Over time, the vehicle will traverse differentgeo-locations, which will then be communicated to cloud services 120periodically, continuously, or on some schedule.

In addition, user interactions and input settings 855 can also becommunicated to cloud services 120. This information is communicatedregarding user interactions, such as inputs or settings is also tied tothe geo-location of the vehicle, the time at which the settings weremade, the circumstances of when the changes were made, the contextualrelationship of circumstances to when settings are made or inputs aremade, and the like. As shown, cloud services can include applicationsand logic and other components which are described above.

Additionally, cloud service can include user accounts and databases. Insome implementations, cloud services can be operated by specific serviceprovider, or multiple service providers, a vehicle cloud service, aninternet company, vehicle manufacturers, vehicle service providers,third party service providers, or combinations thereof. Examplecommunications by cloud services 120 are shown, without limitation. Theexample communications can be to geo-location 860, time of day data 862,local events and news 864, day of the week calendar data 866, learn thepreferences 868, explicit preferences 870, online calendars 872, devicecalendars 874, social media data 876, etc.

In one implementation, at least one aspect of one of the preferences isdata obtained from an internet service. The internet service can be aprivate cloud, a public cloud, website data available via open APIs, orcombinations thereof. The internet service may also be one of a website,or a calendar, or social network website, or a news site, or adictionary site, or mapping service, or a to-do list, or a phone list,or a merchant website, or a shopping website, or a coupon site, or adiscount site, or gasoline price site, or an electric vehicle (EV)charge locator service, or an EV charge reservation service, or ane-payments site, or an energy pricing site, or a route mapping service,or a traffic service or site, or a movie site, or a music site, ortravel site, or a vehicle site, or vehicle manufacturer site, or arental car site, or an airline reservation site, or a restaurant findingsite, or a review site, or a weather site, or a loyalty rewards site, ora database, or a historical driving database, or a vehicle-to-vehicledatabase, or a holiday calendar, or the internet, or combinationsthereof.

This list of exemplary data and services should not be viewed as limitedto the set of data but simply as an example of data can be accessed andprocess to identify contextual related supplemental content 850. Inoperation 852, the interaction mode for the vehicle can be identified.The interaction mode can be the mode that's already selected for thevehicle, and therefore the data that that vehicle is expecting will bein accordance with the interaction mode and it settings.

In operation 854, select supplemental content can be sent to thedisplays of the vehicle or output via the audio system. As noted above,the type of information, such as the select supplemental content istailored for the interaction mode selected for the vehicle, as well asbased on user interactions 855 and the contextual relationship of thoseinputs to the time, the geo-location, learned preferences, and the like.

FIG. 35 illustrates one example of a vehicle driving compartment and thepassenger seat. In this example, the vehicle will typically include anumber of switches, dials, controls, buttons, scrollbars, pushbuttons,levers, which are commonly considered to be physical input devices tocontrol settings or features of the vehicle. Commonly, these physicalinputs will include fixed icons which are typically painted orpermanently engraved on the buttons. For example, the up and down arrowson window opening controls are typically fixed. Other fixed controls mayinclude the buttons for turning up or turning down the air conditioning,buttons for opening a door or locking a door, volume controls for audio,door locks, audio control buttons, seat positioning buttons, and thelike.

In accordance with one embodiment, these physical inputs are configuredto include one or more graphical screens which can change depending onthe interaction mode selected for vehicle. For example, the dial buttonuse for air-conditioning can be changed to a dial button use for theradio. In one further example, a graphical screen can be defined overthe button or physical input or beside or around the button or physicalinputs.

Thus, the user can identify what each button or control is capable ofdoing in the vehicle. In some examples, some of the screens associatedwith physical inputs can be replaced with different icons or controlidentifiers. If the interaction mode is a senior mode, the icons, text,controls, can be magnified in size, type, or can be simplified. In someembodiments, the buttons, icons, text, and associated screens ordisplays for certain ones of the physical inputs can be set inaccordance with the theme associated with the interaction mode, or canbe individually adjusted or changed without regard to interaction mode.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 35, screens can be positioned indifferent locations to avoid the need to add additional buttonsthroughout the cockpit of a vehicle. In some examples, the steering willcan have screen displays that are easily touched or interfaced with toavoid distraction. Certain screens on the steering wheel may change, forexample to provide access to inputs that would normally be associatedwith physical inputs. In one embodiment, fewer physical inputs areprovided throughout the vehicle and are replaced with configurablescreens that provide the functionality that would otherwise be requiredvia the physical inputs. The example locations on which the inputs canbe provided are simply that, just examples, as they can be providedanywhere in, on or around the vehicle.

This type of interactive display and control provided in vehicles canassist vehicle makers to provide fewer buttons that are physical andreduce the cost and weight of a vehicle. In one example, the steeringwill may have configurable screen to allow the user to adjust thevolume, lock or unlock the phone, change the music, access menu items,access the user's home, ask for help, change the dashboard style, setthe configuration mode, and the like. As further shown, one of theinputs can be to simply toggle between one or more interaction modes.

The interaction mode selected in the example of FIG. 35 is simple. Inone embodiment, the interaction mode can be dynamically switched basedon the user of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the interaction mode canbe associated to a profile that is maintained for a user, and theprofile can be used in different vehicles such that interaction modescan be automatically applied to different vehicles, whether owned orused or shared or rented. In another embodiment, features of the vehiclecan be provided with sensors, such as cup holder sensors.

In one embodiment, a learning algorithm can be provided to determine ifthe user likes to cool or warm a beverage that may be positioned in thecup holder. For example, if the time of day is morning and the cup inthe cup holder is detected to have warm liquid or a warm temperature,the cup holder can automatically turned on to maintain a substantiallywarm or hot temperature of the contents in the cup (if heating featuresare provided). In another embodiment, an analogous process can beperformed to cool or maintain the cool temperature of liquid in a cupholder, based upon the context of the learning. For example, if it isdetermined to be a hot day, and based on previous patterns of use theuser has selected to keep cops cool in the cup holder's (if coolingfeatures are provided), the system can automatically set the cup holderto maintain the cool temperature of the cup or its contents.

Still further, other sensors in the vehicle, such as presence sensorscan identify whether more passengers or fewer passengers are inside avehicle. Depending on temperature conditions outside, and based onlearning of previous patterns of the user who may have had passengers inthe past, it is possible that the temperature inside the vehicle islowered 3 to 5° cooler than normal. This may be true because morevehicle passengers can raise the temperature of the cockpit, which mayrequire additional cooling. Still further, the context of additionalpassengers can also detect whether additional passengers have their owndevices in the vehicle, and certain settings for those devices can beshared to those devices.

For example, passengers may be able to connect to a Wi-Fi or Internetconnection provided by the vehicle. This connection can identify theother devices are contained or located within the vehicle. Thisinformation can be used to provide those specific devices access tocertain controls of the vehicle. The controls provided can be based onlearning associated with previous privileges granted by the primary useraccount in the vehicle, which is typically the driver. For moreinformation on sharing vehicle controls to user devices, reference maybe made to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/222,670, entitled “Methods andSystems for Providing Access to Specific Vehicle Controls, Functions,Environment and Applications to Guests/Passengers via Personal MobileDevices,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 36 illustrates a hybrid physical/display controls with anassociated interaction mode customization. In this example, a simplifieddashboard of a vehicle is provided. The simplified dashboard can includecertain gauges that are necessary for driving, yet the clutter providedin the vehicle displays is reduced as described above. In this example,there is one physical input to the left of the steering wheel and 3physical inputs to the right of the steering wheel. For simplicity, thephysical inputs are shown as dials.

It should be understood that the physical inputs can take on variousforms such as pushbuttons, toggles, sliders, press in controls press outcontrols pull out controls twist controls shift controls etc. Continuingwith the example, for purposes of understanding, the four physical inputdials may be allowed to twist turn be pressed be pulled or selected. Inaccordance with one embodiment, the physical inputs may also include ascreen that provides the readout of the text shown in the examples. Thistext can be configured to change based on the interaction mode selectedfor the vehicle. In one embodiment, a senior mode can be selected forthe vehicle, which may indicate that the dials should be maintained assimplified as possible and any text should be amplified or enlarged sothat control and access is easier for older adults.

For example, one button may simply indicate wipers, the next buttonvolume, the next button tuning (audio), air conditioning, and the like.As noted above, more than four physical buttons provided with a hybriddisplay can be provided, and this is only one example to convey thesimplicity of configuring displays associated with physical inputs. Inanother example, an intelligent mode may be selected for the vehicle,which may dynamically change what is displayed on the physical inputs.The display the physical inputs can be a small LCD screen, atouchscreen, proximity non-touch screen, gesture input screens, icons,text, combos of text and icons, colors, a screen typically used on asmart phone, or the like.

Thus, users can provide touch input to the buttons similar to the waytouch input is provided on screens of a smart phone or a tablet. Inaddition, the buttons can also be manipulated as physical inputs toprovide an additional level of change, input or interaction. In anotherexample, the interaction mode can be changed to provide for an informedmode. The informed mode can also again change was displayed on the facesor surfaces of the physical inputs.

Thus, the physical control devices may be pressed, tuned, dialed,touched on the display screen parts etc. In still another embodiment,the display screens can be provided beside the physical inputs so thatthe screens are not on the buttons themselves. For example, the surfacebeside underneath or above or below the physical inputs can includesmall screen that dynamically changes to identify what the physicalinputs are provided to do. Thus, based on the configuration provided tothe physical inputs, the content displayed on the physical inputs orbeside or around the physical inputs can define what functionality thoseparticular inputs can render for the vehicle. As such, the dynamicadjustments and changes to the physical inputs of a vehicle can furtherassist in customizing the users feel and interaction with a particularvehicle.

This functionality provides a further dimension in customization forvehicles, at certain drivers prefer less technology while others prefermore technology, and others prefer simplified interfaces common in oldervehicles. These customizations provide for less distraction to driversand should improve safety, as the interfaces are provided in a way thatis most comfortable to the specific user.

FIG. 37 illustrates an example of a car dashboard having interactionstyles and screens and settings therefore, in accordance with oneembodiment. In this example, the text and icons and language can alsochange for specific vehicle based on the configuration settings,interaction modes, and customize settings by particular users. In theseexamples, one interaction style can be a factory setting. The factorysetting can provide definitions for adjustments that can be made toclimate events, seat controls, windows, latches, and the like.

Furthermore, a senior mode can be provided with icons, text, languagefamiliar to a specific user or demographic. Another example mode may bea fun mode, which allows more customization to certain features. Thiscustomization can be very complex and can also be descriptive instead ofin the form of express settings. The descriptive inputs can betranslated to specific inputs by the computer. It should be understoodthat these particular settings can be predefined by the user either inthe vehicle, via a user device, at a website, or some other way that canbe associate to a user account and a given profile of that account.

Learning can therefore take place over time for that specific profile.The user account may also be transferred from vehicle to vehicle if thevehicle supports application of interaction modes, or application ofcertain settings saved in a profile of the user account. It should beunderstood that some vehicles may not have interaction mode capability,but may allow customization of certain features automatically based onthe user account.

This customization may allow for at least one or more features to beautomatically transferred from one vehicle to another. In other moreadvanced vehicles, more configuration modes are settings can betransferred or used in specific vehicles. Accordingly, the amount ofcustomization and dashboard transferability from vehicle to vehicle willvary from few to more features being configured or transferable,depending on the manufacturer, the software, the systems integratedtherein, and the functionalities of the vehicle.

In one embodiment, at a remote location, a user is able to access a userinterface for an application, which provides users access to useraccounts. A user account can be for a user and the user can add one ormore vehicles, objects, data or appliances for remote reporting, viewingand control. In one embodiment, a user is an owner or user of a vehicle.The user can register the vehicle with a remote service.

The remote service can be accessed over the Internet, such as via awebsite or application of a portable device. The remote service canprovide a multitude of cloud services for the user, such as remotecontrol features, remote viewing services, remote alarm controls, remotecamera activation, remote audio/video recording of the vehicle (i.e.,areas around the vehicle and inside the vehicle). In one embodiment, thevehicle is able to connect to the Internet (e.g., when the vehicleengine is off, on, and/or is occupied or un-occupied) to allow a user,via a remote cloud service, to access features of the vehicle. Thevehicle can be accessed when running, when parked, when stopped, whenmoving, etc. The vehicle and its audio recording devices and videocameras can be accessed from remote locations, to allow users toremotely communicate with the vehicle or with people riding or residinginside the vehicle.

The remote communication can also allow a person to communicate remotelywith people standing outside (or inside) of a vehicle. For instance, ifa user is accessing his or her vehicle from a remote location, camerasinstalled in and/or on the vehicle allow the remote user to see a personstanding proximate to the vehicle. The remote user can then communicatewith a person standing proximate to the vehicle using microphones andspeakers of the vehicle.

In some embodiments described herein, vehicles, structures and objectsmay include circuitry and communication logic to enable communicationwith a cloud processing system over the Internet.

In one embodiment, the services provided by the electronic systems of avehicle can include services that access the various components orsubsystems of a vehicle, such as door locks, service histories, userprofiles, audio settings, entertainment settings, mapping functions,communications systems, telecommunication synchronization systems,speakers, heating and cooling functions, auto-engine start/shut-offremotely via smart devices, remote heating/cooling initiation, remoteface-to-face conferencing, etc. The electronic systems within a vehiclecan also provide a user interface, such as a graphical user interface.The graphical user interface can include a plurality of buttons,controls and transceivers to receive input from a user. The input from auser can also be provided by voice input, facial recognition, eye-retinascans, fingerprint scans, a combination of biometrics, or via acapacitive or regular touchscreen contained or displayed within thevehicle, the vehicle's glass, doors, dashboard, etc.

In one embodiment, vehicles can maintain information regarding wherethey are, where they are heading and their destination maintained whichis maintained by GPS and navigation systems on board. The informationcollected and maintained by every vehicle may be mutually exclusive,meaning that each individual vehicle is aware of its own heading, rateof speed and current location. This information, in one embodiment iscrowd sourced and/or crowd shared/consumed for use in for accidentavoidance or other communication. By networking vehicles within acertain radius together, all individually location-aware vehicles becomeaware of all other vehicles in their sphere of influence. Vehicles maynetwork with vehicles in their range using wireless communicationsystems such as but not limited to Wi-Fi, Wi-Gig LTE, cellular, radio,near field communication or other methods.

In one embodiment, the communications of the vehicle and electronics ofthe vehicle will enable direct communication with a user of the vehicle.The user of the vehicle can include, for instance, the owner of thevehicle, a driver of the vehicle, or any third party having access tothe vehicle (either to drive the vehicle, to monitor the vehicleremotely, etc.)

The access to the data can also be encrypted to prevent unauthorizedaccess to the data. GPS and mapping services can also be incommunication with the cloud processing 120 provide data concerning thelocations of the vehicles and activities that occurred to the vehicleswhen at particular locations. The cloud processing 120 can be access bythe vehicles themselves using their electronics and communications, viamobile devices, from home, from work, etc.

In some embodiments, the vehicles may establish peer-to-peer links tofacilitate fast transfer of data. In other embodiments, vehicles maylink to each other using pairing algorithms that allow the vehicles toexchange data using WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), orsome other short range communication protocol.

A user's APP homepage may also include dynamically updating sections inwhich the most relevant information at a given time may be displayed orsurfaced to a user. If a user has parked in a certain parking area, heor she may want to monitor metrics related to incidents that may haveoccurred to his or her vehicle, vehicles around his or her vehicle, anydynamically received alerts, as well as precaution levels. Additionally,a user may choose to configure his or her APP homepage to display themost pertinent audio and video feeds to their needs.

In one embodiment, the vehicles can communicate directly with each othervia a temporary pairing process. The temporary pairing process can beautomatically enabled when vehicles become too close to each other, forexample. When this happens, local communication between the vehicles,such as a peer-to-peer connection, Wi-Fi connection, NFC connection, orBluetooth connection can be established to enable the vehicles to shareinformation concerning their proximity to one another.

This local communication will enable one or both vehicles to takecorrection actions or alert a driver to change course or triggerautomatic collision prevention measures (e.g., more aggressivenotifications to one or both operators, slow the speed of one or morevehicles, change the driving direction of one or more vehicles, etc.).Once the close proximity communication occurs and some corrective actionis made, the data regarding the occurrence and the actions taken can becommunicated to the cloud system for storage. The information can thenbe viewed by a registered user having access to an account for thevehicle(s).

In one embodiment, a method for customizing a user interface isprovided. The method includes receiving a request to customize a userinterface of a vehicle and providing selection options to identify avehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types. Each vehicle type isassociated with system components native to the vehicle type and one ormore of the control interfaces that can be mapped to an applicationprogramming interface (API). The method includes identifying a pluralityof applications available for the vehicle type, where each of theapplications has a link to at least one of the control interfaces viathe API of the system components. The method includes receivingselection of the vehicle type at cloud services, which interfaces with awebsite over the Internet or a backend of a website over the Internet.

The method includes receiving selection of an application selected fromthe plurality of applications; the selection of the application is madeso as to add an app interface for the application to the user interfaceof the vehicle. The method, at cloud services, generates a customconfiguration of the user interface for the vehicle type that includessystem interfaces for some of the system components native to thevehicle type and the app interface for the application. The customconfiguration is saved to a user account, at a database in cloud storageassociated with cloud services. In one embodiment, code for the customconfiguration is transferred to a vehicle that is to be associated withthe user account. The code of the custom configuration is defined to seta display of the vehicle to provide the user interface having the systeminterfaces along with the app interface, the method is executed by oneor more processors.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a request to modifythe custom configuration; enabling changes to the selection of theapplication, the changes including adding additional applications orremoving the application; regenerating the custom configuration with thechanges; saving the custom configuration to the user account, andtransferring the custom configuration having the changes to the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling identification of asecond vehicle for the user account, the second vehicle having a secondvehicle type.

In some embodiments, the method includes processing a request totransfer the custom configuration to the second vehicle. The processingof the request includes, automatically updating the system componentsfor the second vehicle type, the system components of the second vehicleincluding more or less features based on the second vehicle type asdefined by a manufacturer of the second vehicle; and determining if theapplication functions for the second vehicle type, and providing optionsto select an update for the application in response to processing therequest to transfer the custom configuration when the application doesnot fully function for the second vehicle type.

In some embodiments, the manufacturer of the vehicle and the secondvehicle is either the same or different.

In some embodiments, the method includes processing a request to use thecustom configuration on a second vehicle. The processing of the requestincludes, receiving login credentials for the user account to enable theuse of the custom configuration from the second vehicle, automaticallyupdating the system components for the second vehicle type, the systemcomponents of the second vehicle including more or less features basedon the second vehicle type as defined by a manufacturer of the secondvehicle; and determining if the application functions for the secondvehicle type, and if the application does not function for the secondvehicle type, either omitting the application from the customconfiguration or providing a replacement application for theapplication.

In some embodiments, the method includes maintaining a database of useraccounts, each user account having one or more custom configurations ofthe user interface; processing a request to use a second customconfiguration on the vehicle, the request being received from thevehicle upon entering credentials to access a second user account;transferring the second custom configuration to the vehicle for usewhile the credentials of the second user account are active on thevehicle, wherein the request to use the second custom configurationterminates use of the custom configuration in favor of the second customconfiguration.

In some embodiments, the method includes terminating a session of use ofthe custom configuration on the vehicle, termination of the session actsto, reset the display of the vehicle to provide the user interface withsystem interfaces that are default set by the manufacturer of thevehicle; or set a second custom configuration for a second user account.

In some embodiments, the display of the vehicle includes any one or moreof a main dashboard display, or a center console display, or a headrestdisplay, or a movable display, or a wireless display, or awire-connected display.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a request to makechanges to add or remove applications from the custom configuration.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling a user interface toolto arrange some of the system components and app components of theapplication on a display; the arranging includes defining positionallocations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of the customconfiguration.

In some embodiments, the method includes enabling linking of one or moreapplications executed on a mobile device to be presented on the displayof the vehicle in accordance with the custom configuration, the linkingenabled upon pairing the mobile device with electronics of the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the method includes receiving user input via thecustom configuration, learning patterns of user input over time, andautomatically programming one or more components of the customconfiguration based on the learned patterns of user input.

In some embodiments, the method includes automatically adjustingpositional locations for graphical user interface (GUI) items of thecustom configuration based on the learned patterns; and saving theadjustments to the user account, the user account being saved in adatabase that is interfaced over the Internet with cloud services thatexecute code using one or more processors.

In some embodiments, the one programming of one or more components ofthe custom configuration includes automatically setting input based ontimes of day or days of week, or dates of month, or combinationsthereof.

In some embodiments, the custom configuration of the vehicle istransferrable to a second vehicle.

In some embodiments, the custom configuration is saved to the useraccount in cloud storage, and cloud processing provides communicationwith the vehicle over the Internet.

In some embodiments, the cloud processing provides a website interfaceto enable selection of the vehicle type and the application to definethe custom configuration and also enables updates to the customconfiguration to add, delete or update applications to be associatedwith the custom configuration.

In some embodiments, the code for the custom configuration istransferred to the vehicle upon receiving credentials to access the useraccount from the vehicle so as to associate the vehicle to the customconfiguration, the association of the custom configuration to thevehicle being for a period of time.

In some embodiments, the period of time is for a session that remainsuntil logged out of the user account, or a second user account logs into define a new session with a second custom configuration of the seconduser account.

In some embodiments, the vehicle electronics are programmed with amaster account, the master account being in communication with cloudservices over the Internet, the master account enabling use of thecustom configuration with one or more restrictions.

In some embodiments, the restrictions include enabling, disabling orregulating system components of the vehicle, enabling or disablingcertain applications of the custom configuration, wherein therestrictions being updateable over a website that enables remoteconfiguration and monitoring of the vehicle using cloud services overthe Internet for the master account, the master account enabling one ormore user accounts to be used on the vehicle, such that one or morecustom configurations are usable on the vehicle during respectivesessions.

In some embodiments, the predefined code is application programminginterface (API) for communicating with at least one control interface ofthe system component.

In one embodiment a computer implemented method is provided. The methodprovides providing access to cloud services over the Internet forcustomizing a user interface of a vehicle; providing selection optionsto identify a vehicle type among a plurality of vehicle types, eachvehicle type being associated with system components native to thevehicle type; identifying a plurality of applications available for thevehicle type, each of the applications provided with code for linking toat least one control interface of the system components; receivingselection of an application selected from the plurality of applications,the selection of the application being made so as to add an appinterface for the application to the user interface of the vehicle;generating a custom configuration of the user interface for the vehicletype that includes system interfaces for some of the system componentsnative to the vehicle type and the app interface for the application;saving the custom configuration to a user account in a databaseinterfaced with the cloud services; and transferring the customconfiguration to electronics of a vehicle from database, the customconfiguration being defined to set a display of the vehicle to providethe user interface having the system interfaces along with the appinterface, the method being executed by a processor.

The various embodiments may be embodied in computer readable media,which is saved in storage. The storage may be saved on cloud storage,data centers, or the like, which are accessible over the Internet. Theaccess may be wired or wireless. In vehicles, the connection to theInternet may be wireless, and the connection can be continuous ornon-continuous depending connection. Code on the vehicle electrons canexecute at least some of the method operations when not connected andother operations are executed jointly between vehicle electronics (e.g.,memory, code and processors of a vehicle) and cloud processing, whichmay implement one or more servers, either virtual or not.

It will be obvious, however, to one skilled in the art, that the presentinvention may be practiced without some or all of these specificdetails. In other instances, well known process operations have not beendescribed in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the presentinvention. Some embodiments are defined by combining features fromembodiments defined throughout the present application and materialsincorporated by reference.

In some implementations, the learning and predicting embodiments mayutilize learning and prediction algorithms that are used in machinelearning. In one embodiment, certain algorithms may look to patterns ofinput, inputs to certain user interfaces, inputs that can be identifiedto biometric patterns, inputs for neural network processing, inputs formachine learning (e.g., identifying relationships between inputs, andfiltering based on geo-location and/or vehicle state, in real-time),logic for identifying or recommending a result or a next input, a nextscreen, a suggested input, suggested data that would be relevant for aparticular time, geo-location, state of a vehicle, and/or combinationsthereof. In one embodiment, use of machine learning enables the vehicleto learn what is needed by the user, at a particular time, in view ofone or more operating/status state of the vehicle, in view of one ormore state of one or more sensors of the vehicle. Thus, one or moreinputs or data presented to the user may be provided without an explicitinput, request or programming by a user at that time. In one embodiment,reference is made to learning and prediction, wherein both terms may bereferencing the same or similar function, e.g., looking at userinteractions, preferences, tendencies, etc., in order to identify orselect a particular type of data that may be useful for the user basedon the learning or prediction. In other embodiments, learning may bedefined closer to the traditional sense of machine learning, patternlearning, historical data input analysis, etc., while prediction is maybe defined closer to the traditional sense of identifying some data,which is predicted to be relevant based on analysis of the context inwhich the data is predicted. In still other embodiments, prediction andlearning may be hybrids, used in conjunction for providing contextuallyrelevant supplemental content to a vehicle, user account, user device,or some target associated with a user account or profile.

Overtime, machine learning can be used to reinforce learned behavior,which can provide weighting to certain inputs. For instance, the moretimes a user turns on the windshield wipers when it is raining, andwithin two minutes of turning on the car, may signal that this patternsis likely to happen again. In another example, if a user stops to chargehis vehicle at a particular charge station, which is 20 miles from hishome, repeatedly on Tuesdays, at 6 pm, when nobody is a passenger in thevehicle, and the vehicle had less than 5% charge, may be used as astrong pattern that this may occur again in the future. This data,combined with other data, may be used to recommend data regarding thecharge station in advance, so that the user need no look up the chargestation to reserve a spot, or the like. It should be understood thatthese are just simplified examples to convey examples of recommendationswhich may be based on some learning, preferences or pattern analysis, orlikelihoods.

Thus, context awareness across multiple dimensions will allow for moreaccurate predictions, learning (e.g., by building and refining behaviormodels), and surfacing/suggesting recommendations of supplementalcontent or settings, when it is most probable or likely or useful, orneeded by the user or vehicle and user, or relevant at a current orproximate or near or destination geo-location.

For purposes of providing example ways of processing learningalgorithms, machine learning methods, predictions, data analysis, andthe like, without limitations to any specifically claimed embodiment,reference may be made to a book entitled “Introduction to MachineLearning”, Second Edition, by Ethem Alpaydin, The MIT Press (ISBN978-0-262-01243-0), Cambridge, Mass., London England (2010), which isherein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

In one embodiment, a display of a vehicle can include one or moredisplays. For example, a display screen of the vehicle may include anyone or more of a main dashboard display, or a center console display, ora combined main dashboard and center console display, or a surfacedisplay, or a glass surface, or a windshield display, or a windowdisplay, or a touch surface display, or a headrest display, or a movabledisplay, or a wireless display, or a wire-connected display, orcombinations thereof.

In one embodiment, biometrics may be associated to the user account. Thebiometrics may be used to monitor use of the vehicle and determine ifthe custom user interfaces is to be enabled, or if a guest custom userinterface is to be enabled, or if public custom user interface is to beenabled, or identify an interaction mode. The user account may includeprofile data defining when particular custom user interfaces are to beenabled or interactions modes are to be used. The biometrics may includeone or more of image data of a driver's face, a passenger's face, afinger print, a retina scan, a signature, a gesture, a user input, alogin, a key, a paring device, or combinations of two or more thereof.

The various embodiments defined herein may define individualimplementations or can define implementations that rely on combinationsof one or more of the defined embodiments. Further, embodiments of thepresent invention may be practiced with various computer systemconfigurations including hand-held devices, microprocessor systems,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,minicomputers, mainframe computers and the like. The invention can alsobe practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks areperformed by remote processing devices that are linked through awire-based or wireless network.

With the above embodiments in mind, it should be understood that theinvention could employ various computer-implemented operations involvingdata stored in computer systems. These operations are those requiringphysical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though notnecessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magneticsignals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared andotherwise manipulated.

Any of the operations described herein that form part of the inventionare useful machine operations. The invention also relates to a device oran apparatus for performing these operations. The apparatus can bespecially constructed for the required purpose, or the apparatus can bea general-purpose computer selectively activated or configured by acomputer program stored in the computer. In particular, variousgeneral-purpose machines can be used with computer programs written inaccordance with the teachings herein, or it may be more convenient toconstruct a more specialized apparatus to perform the requiredoperations.

The invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on acomputer readable medium. The computer readable medium is any datastorage device that can store data, which can thereafter be read by acomputer system. The computer readable medium can also be distributedover a network-coupled computer system so that the computer readablecode is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail forpurposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certainchanges and modifications can be practiced within the scope of theappended claims. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to beconsidered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is notto be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified withinthe scope and equivalents of the description and claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising, receiving, at aserver, a geo-location of a vehicle; receiving from time to time, at theserver, vehicle condition; identifying a user account for the vehicle,the user account including preferences associated with a profile of auser, the user account being stored in a database that is accessible bythe server; and sending data to the vehicle, the data includingsupplemental content for presentation on a display screen and/or outputvia an audio system of the vehicle, the data being selected based on acontextual analysis of the geo-location of the vehicle and the vehiclecondition and/or the geo-location of the vehicle and the preferencesassociated with the profile of the user; wherein the profile of the userincludes data that indicates an amount of said supplemental content tobe provided for presentation on the display screen of the vehicle atparticular times; wherein the geo-location of the vehicle changes fromtime to time based on geographic movements of the vehicle, the methodbeing executed by a processor.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thecontextual analysis for a current period of time and information fromthe profile are used to determine when to enable the sending or disablethe sending of the data to the vehicle; and wherein the data sent to thevehicle that includes the supplemental content is enabled to bepresented on the vehicle for a predefined period of time after receiptof said data by the vehicle.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the datasent to the vehicle is determined by the server to have a likelihood ofuse by the user of the user account.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinthe likelihood of use of the information is further based on analysis ofexplicit preferences in the profile or at least one learned preferenceof the user, or based on user data obtained from one or more internetservices holding data associated or related to the user, accessing dataor preferences of the user.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the datasent to the vehicle for presentation on the display screen is configuredin accordance with an interaction mode setting, wherein the interactionmode setting is configured to additional define or set the amount ofsupplement content to be provided for presentation on the displayscreen, wherein the interaction mode setting at least partially definesa style of user interfaces for the display screen of the vehicle, or thestyle of user interfaces of the display screen that identify one or moreof text format, or gauge arrangement, or clutter level, or skins, orwallpaper, or layout styles, or design, or voice input/output displayfeatures, or combinations of two or more thereof.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein at least one aspect of one of the preferences is dataobtained from an internet service or website, or social network, orinternet accessible storage.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein theprofile further includes data regarding an interaction mode, and data isnot sent when a rule of the interaction mode identifies that the sendingshould not occur at least at a particular time, or based on a condition,or based on a conflict with a learned pattern, or based on notificationlimitations defined by the interaction mode, or based on a clutter levelsetting, or for reducing distracted driving, or based on a combinationof rules or settings.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data sent isrecommendation data; wherein at least one aspect of one of thepreferences is data obtained from an internet service; wherein dataobtained from the internet service is sent to the vehicle along with orin addition to the recommendation data, the data obtained from theinternet service includes data or instructions for causing at least thedisplay screen of the vehicle to be populated with at least somesupplemental content from the internet service automatically orautomatically launch an application by the vehicle for renderingspecific supplemental content on the display screen.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein at least one aspect of one of the preferences or atleast some of the supplemental content is data obtained from an internetservice, wherein the internet service is one of a website, or a calendarhaving data of a user associated with the user account, or socialnetwork website having data of the user associated with the useraccount, or a news site, or a dictionary site, or mapping service, or ato-do list of the user associated with the user account, or a phone listof the user associated with the user account, or a merchant website, ora shopping website, or a coupon site, or a discount site, or gasolineprice site, or an electric vehicle (EV) charge locator service, or an EVcharge reservation service, or an e-payments site, or an energy pricingsite, or a route mapping service, or a traffic service or site, or amovie site, or a music site, or travel site, or a vehicle site, orvehicle manufacturer site, or a rental car site, or an airlinereservation site, or a restaurant finding site, or a review site, or aweather site, or a loyalty rewards site, or a database, or a historicaldriving database, or a vehicle-to-vehicle database, or a holidaycalendar, or the internet.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein thepreferences associated with the profile of the user include dataassociated with a setting for an interaction mode that defines howinformation items of the supplemental content are to be displayed andwhen information items of the supplemental content are to be presentedon the display screen of the vehicle, wherein the interaction mode iscustomizable or customized for the user account, or customized over timebased on use or computer learning.
 11. The method of claim 10, whereinthe interaction mode is selected from a range of modes that includesimple modes that have less information items displayed on the displayscreen and reduce distractive notifications and intense modes thatincrease a number of information items displayed on the screen andincrease information presented, and custom hybrids modes that select thelevel of information items and a level of notifications to be sent tothe display screen, and a learning mode that enables dynamic changes tothe information items and notifications based on use over time andpredictive use, and combinations of simple, intense, hybrid, custom, andlearning modes.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile isassociated with data that defines an interaction mode, the interactionmode is associated with data that relates to, or sets, or filters, orculls supplemental content to be sent or presented to the vehicle.
 13. Amethod, comprising: receiving geographic locations of a vehicle overtime, at a server configured to execute cloud services for a useraccount, the user account identifying the vehicle, and the user accountfurther includes a profile for a user of the vehicle, the profilefurther including explicit preferences, the user account being stored ina database accessible by the server; accessing, by the server, theprofile to identify a history of use of the vehicle for the user;generating, from time to time, a plurality of learned preferences thatare associated to the profile of the user by examining the history ofuse of the vehicle for the user, wherein the history of use of thevehicle includes geographic locations of the vehicle, inputs made to auser interface of the vehicle at particular times or when the vehicle isidentified to have been at particular geographic locations; for acurrent geographic location and for a current time, identifyingsupplemental content for display on the user interface, the supplementalcontent being contextually related to the current geographic location ofthe vehicle or a most recent geographical location of the vehicle, thecurrent time, and said explicit and learned preferences that areassociated to the profile of the user; determining, by the server,whether to filter out some or all of the supplemental content; andsending, by the server, the supplemental content that was not filteredout to the vehicle over a wireless network, the supplemental contentconfigured for display on the user interface of the vehicle, the methodis executed by a processor.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the userinterface of the vehicle is integrated in one or more display screens ofthe vehicle, the one or more display screens being configured to displaya level of information items; wherein the supplemental content sent tothe vehicle is associated with a tag that identifies when thepresentation is allowed to occur after being received by the vehicle orwhen the presentation should no longer occur after being received at thevehicle.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising, setting aninteraction mode that defines a style of user interfaces of the displayscreens of the vehicle, the style of user interfaces of the displayscreens identify one or more of text format, text size, icon types,simplicity of interface features, types of gauges, clutter levels,skins, wallpaper, styles, designs, colors, and/or voice input/outputdisplay features, or combinations of one or more thereof.
 16. The methodof claim 13, wherein some of the supplemental content includesidentification of goods or services proximate to at least one of thegeographic locations of the vehicle, the goods or services identifiedbeing filtered to include goods or services determined to be of interestfor display based on examination of the profile of the user account,wherein the profile of the user account further includes informationregarding a likelihood of interest for goods or services at other timessimilar to the current time.
 17. A method, comprising, receiving arequest to access a user account of a user for a vehicle, the useraccount providing access to an application that provides cloud servicesfor the vehicle, the cloud services being processed by a server that isaccessible via one or both of a computing device or a vehicle computer,and the server is provided with access to a database that includes theuser account of the user; providing data for rendering a graphical userinterface (GUI) for the application, the application is configured todisplay a plurality of preferences associated with interacting with andreceiving information from user interface to be rendered on a screen ofthe vehicle; receiving selections of at least two of the plurality ofpreferences; determining an interaction mode for the vehicle based onthe received selections, the interaction mode defining a level ofinformation items to be displayed on the screen of the vehicle anddefining an intensity of interactive notifications or data to bereceived at the vehicle for display on the screen of the vehicle; andsending, by the server, configuration settings to the vehicle, theconfiguration settings used to implement the interaction mode on thevehicle when the user account of the user is active on the vehicle, themethod being executed by a processor.
 18. The method of claim 17,further comprising, detecting interaction over time with informationitems, the interaction being analyzed to learn patterns of interaction;adjusting settings of the interaction mode based on the learned patternsof interaction, such that the interaction mode becomes a custominteraction mode for the user account; and based on the custominteraction mode, identifying data to send to the vehicle for display orinstructions for launching applications or displaying information on thescreen of the vehicle, wherein the data is defined to be contextuallyrelevant to one or more of a geo-location of the vehicle, a condition ofthe vehicle, or a preference of the user account.
 19. The method ofclaim 1, wherein some of the data sent to the vehicle is associated withan identifier that describes when the presentation is allowed to occur;or wherein data sent is data that defines when the presentation shouldno longer occur after being received at the vehicle; or wherein datasent is processed to avoid presentation if a determination is made thatdistracted driving is likely to occur based on one or more of a currentgeo-location, a current time, a current state of driving, a currentspeed, or detected traffic conditions.
 20. The method of claim 12,wherein a type of interaction mode is configured to dynamically change adisplay associated with physical inputs of the vehicle, wherein thephysical inputs can change in function, or complexity, or display, ortone, or color, or font, or text, or icons, or combinations thereof tobe consistent or associated with the type of interaction mode.